Legacy
by SilverCrystal029
Summary: The death of Xavier at the hands of the Friends Of Humanity causes Magneto to breakdown & make a desperate choice. He kidnaps Rogue, brainwashes her, and replaces her memories for her to join his cause; protecting mutants from humankind. But even with her memories wiped, the woman Rogue's become shines through, leaving a certain Acolyte and their leader smitten...
1. Chapter 1

_2 Weeks Earlier..._

* * *

_"Just because someone stumbles and loses their path," The bald telepath looked out into the gathering crowd. He was hopeful of the turn out. He saw humans as far as the eye can see, all listening to him. A known mutant. He smooths out the wrinkles in his expensive, navy suit. "Doesn't mean they're lost forever. That," He gestured with his hands. "Is my philosophy about everything. For individuals, for the relationship between humans and mutantkind..." _

_The X-Men stood in silent line along the stage in Central Park. So far, the professor's speech was going swimmingly. There were no anti-mutant protesters, no hateful signs. No heckling. The crowd was silent, watching Professor Xavier speak intently and with great interest. Four, grueling years after Apocalypse, and things were still not perfect. Not in Bayville and not anywhere else. _

_But strides were being made, slowly but surely. And the patient telepath addressing the world about mutants made sure of that. Ororo, Hank, and Warren stood on the stage behind him as he spoke. Rogue stood beside Kurt and Logan, a cropped leather jacket shrugged on over her X-Suit. They were there to protect Charles and the innocent people in attendance, just in case. For the mutants, there was not being too sure._

_She tucked a short, wavy lock behind her ear, noticing Logan's tenseness. She didn't think she'd ever seen the man relax. Things were going the only way she could've asked, she was trying to be optimistic. Kurt was always suggesting it. Before she could blink, Logan flew forward through the flash of cameras. Her gloves soon became hot and sweaty. 'No,' She thought. 'Not now!'_

_Logan moved with lightning fast reflexes, but it was not enough. Charles didn't notice until it was too late, nobody did. The Friends Of Humanity were thought to not be there, but they were scattered amongst the crowd. One pot bellied, red-neck supporter in a red flannel and ripped jeans jumped forward, screaming. Soon, dozens more men jumped out with weapons, causing pandemonium. _

_Scott looked around, towering over most of his teammates. "X-MEN," He screamed, his teeth bared. That's when the shot rang out. It sounded like a door being slammed by the Hulk. As soon as it rang out, Scott shoved Jean and Rogue towards the ground. Kitty grabbed Kurt and Bobby near her, and phased, just incase the bullet flew their way. But it didn't._

_ Screams rang out, papers running like confetti down to the ground. The smell assaults Logan's nose before he can get to the assailant, his mind torn in two different ways. 'NO,' He's brain screamed at him. The force of the shot sends his chair careening sideways. Kitty and Amara shout when Charles falls limp on the ground, his eyes rolling in the back of his head. _

_Rogue climbed the stage as fast as she could, scraping and bruising her shins as she ran to immediately administer first aid until Hank arrived. Just as she'd been trained. She noted that the 'bullet' was a syringe, and she began to feel very ill. "HANK," She shrieked, and most of her teammates looked back. They had never heard the girl sound so fearful before, so afraid. Not even when she realized that she was in Apocalypse's clutches. _

_Logan pauses, dark eyes scanning the area as he grabs a slovenly Friends Of Humanity member by the collar. When he sees Rogue is not in danger, he continues tossing the terrorist group member out of the away from civilians, hurrying to secure the area to ensure Charles' safety. 'C'mon Chuck, please hang on.' A small fire was starting towards the back of the conference area. _

_Ororo rose to the sky, covering the area with a rain shower to hamper the fires. Jean joined Rogue on the stage, trying frantically to enter her mentor's mind. Whatever she saw, she did not divulge to the other girl, and she appeared to do something else with her powers. Something that revoked her ability to speak. Rogue whimpered helplessly, rolling the man on to his back and frantically beginning chest compressions. "N-No.. No, no, no..." She begged through clenched teeth.y_

_There was nobody Rogue respected more than Charles Xavier. But he looked so small now, frail. Fragile. Not the man she trusted with her life, with her safety. Even as she became a young adult. Jean can sense that she's doing all she can not to meltdown right now. _

_"Good job, Rogue." She encouraged, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Keep it up until we can get him to Hank." Rogue only responded with panicked breathing, praying her efforts would be enough in the end._

_"Kitty," Scott called over the chaos, shooting a blast at an anti-mutant protester with a weapon. "You and Kurt, port to the jet and park it as close as possible!" He screamed. He could tell from his mental conferences with Jean that the professor was dire. Very dire. _

_"I can't-" Kitty paused when a picnic table phased through her. "Fly that we-" Scott pulled Bobby back out of the way of a flamethrower with a frown. _

_"You have to, Kitty-" He shot another beam. Kurt grabbed onto her reluctantly. Kitty was not known for her plane piloting skills, but she was far more certified than he was. _

_"Ve got this." He assured, a queasy look on his face. Kitty didn't feel much more comforted. _

_As the Friends Of Humanity fled Logan's wrath, Kitty shakily piloted the Blackbird as close as she could get, leaving ditches in the grass. Without a word, Jean lifted both the professor and his wheelchair telekinetically. 'The professor is in really critical condition, I hope Hank can help him.' She thought, trying to use her vast psychic powers to slow the spread of whatever virus he'd been shot with. _

_Rogue scrambled after them onto the jet as the sped, quickly towards the institute. _

* * *

They called it the 'Day Hope Died'. At least, _mutants_ did. Especially the mutants residing in the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. For a building to capacity with growing, teenage mutants it had never been more quiet. More hushed. Almost silent. The quiet was oppressive in comparison to the normal hustle and bustle. Charles Xavier was dead. Gunned down at a demonstration for peace and education. It wasn't fair. And still, the media vilified the 'mutant menace'.

Logan came the closest he'd ever come to leaving. Quitting. Turning around from the heartache, the anxiety. All of it. He knew the heartache would only increase ten fold from here on out, and that scared him most. He felt that all the best things about him died with Charles. He couldn't wrap his head around it. Nothing quelled this deep,_ deep_ pain. Not fighting, not drinking. Not smoking. Not drawing blood. Nothing dampened the blow of knowing he had to go through life without Charles Xavier.

But, as he saw the state of the institute change overnight, it showed him how important it was for the school to see someone keeping it together. Scott was tearing himself apart in the Danger Room on the psycho setting. Jean was shattering lightbulbs all over the mansion despite insisting she was fine and needed to help New Recruits. Kitty didn't stop crying for days, every room of the campus reminding her of the late telepath, _somehow._

Kurt's parents had raised him really religiously, something he'd forgotten a bit since he came to stay in New York. But, God was the only thing he could imagine seriously helping him through this. The professor had been there for him when nobody else could be. All of them. They were young adults now, the X-Men, and they still looked to him for guidance. To know that somebody had an idea; a plan.

Now, the X-Men were alone. Idling, floating vulnerably without their guiding factor.

_xxx_

Jean hated to be pessimistic. She liked to think of herself as an optimistic pragmatist. Realistic with a healthy dose of looking on the bright side. But it had been over two weeks since Charles Xavier's sudden passing. And things around the school were not any better. She tossed her long hair in a messy ponytail, too bothered to take the time she normally would to style it. It was close to dinnertime, and she wasn't sure she'd had a real meal all day.

Both she and Scott were doing their best to look out for the younger members and students. She knew that Scott wasn't handling the death of his hero well and neither was she. But they had no choice. They had more or less inherited the institute, Scott most of all. It was up to them to keep things running. A lot of people were depending on them.

She gave Kitty a tired smile, draped in one of Scott's large, Duke sweaters. She handed the younger girl a Fiji water. "_Please_ try to rehydrate." Jean is concerned, but she sounds exhausted. "If Hank sees you again for dehydration..." As if on cue, a very frazzled looking Logan wandered in the room. His eyes were glassy, his clothes disheveled, and the bags under his eyes were worse than he'd ever allowed the professor to see. His stubble was well on it's way to being a beard, the hairy man never had trouble growing hair on his face.

He gave a defeated, low growl in Kitty's direction. He'd had enough of the gentle, understanding approach already. He felt for all the kids and what they were going through, but he wasn't tolerating the no eating & drinking (Rogue had had particularly bad psyche problems that would make her stop eating, something Logan nipped in the bud very fast). He had no patience for it, especially when he knew how many different ways it was bad for people their ages.

Kitty sighed, but obeyed. If she weren't so committed to mourning, she'd have thanked the redhead. She just took a long swig, both Scott and Logan watching until she was finished.

"Good Half-Pint," He mumbled, his eyes unfocused. He scrubbed a tired hand over his face. "Go wipe your face and set the dinner table..." His voice is gentle, but she knows he means business. He hadn't been making her, anyone, do much of anything they didn't want to. He'd allowed the kids personal time in their rooms to grieve and express themselves. But lots of them were keeping themselves locked away, skipping dinner, eating ice cream for breakfast at 4:36 am...

Now he understood_ why_ Charles was always fixated on routine, order, and schedules with a high occupancy school of mutants. It would take heaven and hell to get the institute running how it did when the professor was alive. Kitty looks at him in a mixture of shock and hurt. Her turquoise sweater is starting to hang off of her, and it startled the man. She didn't have a lot of room to drop weight, he'd been trying to get more muscle mass on her for years.

"M-Mr. L-Logan_ I don_-"

"It's been _two weeks,_ Kitty." She shrinks when she realizes she's never heard him sound so tired or defeated. "I don't expect anyone to be over_ anything_. But, we've got to reestablish routine, a sense of_ normalc_y." He was already practically pleading with the girl. He didn't have much fight left in him, he was finding it increasingly difficult to fight for a school of dejected, mutant teenagers.

"Things will _never_ be normal here!" She exclaimed angrily. "Dinner won't help anything,_ at all!_" She screamed, her voice voice rising anxiously.

_"Kitty_," Jean began sympathetically. Kitty had been isolating and lashing out like her teammate Rogue. And her roommate (who was already scarce for scheduled meals) had barely been sighted around campus at all. If Logan hadn't smelled her scent on the premises he would've been launched a search party for her. A lot of students thought Kitty and Rogue were his favorites, and he was certainly very understanding of them both because of how close he'd gotten. But, he was sending the message by gathering them first, there were no more exceptions.

_"Katherine,_" The use of her real name silenced the girl. She couldn't remember the last time he'd called her that. "Please, go wash your face and set the table." He looked at her with watery, bloodshot eyes. He was struggling just as much as she was, he just didn't have a spare second to breakdown. Not with Charles gone. She sighed, trudging towards the kitchen in reluctance.

Logan gave a shuddering sigh. "_Red,_" He began listlessly. "Can you help me..."

"Yes," She answered quickly. "Of course. Scott and I will help you get all the students to dinner." She tossed a look behind her to Scott, who was lost in thought. He always was, these days. Logan sniffed pointedly and sighed.

"Either of y'all seen _Rogue_?" Even with his bloodhound nose, he'd found it increasingly difficult to catch her around. She had always been reclusive, introverted... But she used to spend a lot more time around the man, even in silence. Camping, training, riding... It unnerved him that she'd been so distant from him, from everyone. Surprise, surprise; he had heard Rogue speak about what happened the absolute least, and she'd spent some of Charles' last moments with him.

Scott heaved a frustrated sigh. Jean was better at understanding all the students' different methods of grieving, but he had a harder time. He hated when Kitty and Rogue wouldn't sleep. Wouldn't eat. Hurting themselves only spread more pain and worry around the campus, which they did not need. Which would not serve the team if there were an emergency. If he had been capable of tracking her down, he would've been happy to talk to her. Perhaps, that was why she was essentially invisible.

"I have barely seen her around..." He answered, keeping his more charged thoughts to himself.

_'Grief is hard...'_ Jean chimed in his mind. She looked to Logan. "She's up in the tree with the rope swing." She informed him gently. He nodded, kicking himself for not realizing that sooner. '_Of course she is.'_ He turned wordlessly towards the glass doors, stepping out into the night. When he feels the temperature outside he frowns, knowing that if Rogue was sitting outside she hadn't been wearing a coat.

He sucked his teeth in annoyance and concern, but he paused when he smelled somebody else. And tears. Guilt bloomed in his stomach. These kids were suffering, everybody was. And no matter what the man managed to do, it never felt like enough.

He watched as Jaime Madrox stood at the base of the tree, his hand curled tightly around the rope. Before Logan could strain to hear the conversation, Rogue jumped down from the branches. He frowned when he saw her, noting that she was looking thin, like she was losing the muscle they trained so hard in the Danger Room for. She braced the younger boy's shoulders and wrapped him in the most comfortable, sincere hug Logan had _ever_ seen the girl give.

_'She's comforting him...'_ He thought. Jaime, like a lot of younger kids, looked up to Rogue and the rest of the X-Team. He watched as Jaime pivoted and went inside, his face at least hopeful. He watched Rogue's lanky limbs scale the tree again, back to hiding. Logan grunted, approaching the tree and just standing at it's base for a long while.

He marveled at the moon silently, letting Rogue hold onto the silence a little longer before he crashed it. "Jean and Scott can't remember the last time they saw you eat with their own eyes." He called up casually, his eyes betraying his casual tone. He fumbled for a cigar in his pocket. "Come down. It's dinner time. You haven't been in over_ two weeks_, so don't start that." Silence. He sighed. "_Rogue,_ everyone needs to show up. Nobody can get favors right now."

"Don't feel up to it..." Rogue muttered low, counting on Logan's senses to hear her. He snorted, tired of this behavior.

"Don't feel up to _what?_ Sustenance _or_ being around people who care about you?" He can hear the leaves rattle because she's shaking with anger._ 'Good, she's angry. Better than nothin' at all.'_

"Logan,"

"We're not doing this." He cut in. His voice is hard and it silences her. She'd never heard his voice sound so forced. Like he was trying his hardest to sound like the old him. It broke her heart even more. "We're jus' gonna fast forward. I _saw_ you, clamber down from the tree to comfort Jaime." It was Logan's best kept secret that Rogue was probably the warmest, most feeling one of them all. It was her fear of hurting others and her fear of being hurt that compelled her to hide that.

He feels her body go tense. "I_ need _for you to show up for_ yourself,_ now. Hidin' in trees, stayin' in your room, goin' on a hunger strike isn't the answer." His stare hardened. "You're rubbin' off on _Kitty_, Rogue." When the girl didn't respond and he could smell her tears, he groaned. "_I need_ for you to be there, Rogue. I'm sorry for asking you for somethin' right now. But one thing that would help is if I could get the whole school to dinner for a meal..."

She huffed in the tree, landing in a crouch before him a few moments later. She wearing a black, full length bodysuit and a massive, green shirt over it. Logan frowns when he doesn't remember it fitting her _so_ loosely. Her nose is as red as Rudolph's nose, and so were her eyes. "No fair," She sniffed. Logan's shoulder's sagged. He hated feeling manipulative, but it was no secret the girl had a bit of a martyr complex. She spent all her time acting cold and unfeeling, but she was always the first to volunteer her help.

He wrapped an arm around her carefully. "Thanks, Stripes." Her face softened. She lacked the energy to be mad at Logan very long, anyways.

* * *

The Danger Room didn't feel the same after the professor's death. And Logan certainly didn't train them the same way. There was a wildness, a desperation, an urgency in the way he rode them now. His need to protect them palpable. Somehow, just the telepath's presence made them all feel safer. Now they felt naked and open. Afraid.

There were worries that Jean wasn't ready to be using Cerebro full time. If anything, she probably didn't have enough control of her powers not to fry it. He had kept the school running so well, so effortlessly. He was constantly pushing them all to grow and be better people. Now what?

Sweat trailed down Rogue's neck, her hair clinging to her skin with sweat. Kitty looked equally as frazzled beside her, Kurt on the other side. Logan was really stressing their training since they all had pretty passive mutations. _'I would just die if something' happened to them on a mission because I didn't prepare them, enough...'_ The man had nightmares about Rogue being cornered and unable to access powers.

She was being able to handle more absorptions at once, but she hadn't recalled her powers since her breakdown. And she hadn't been very eager to try. She misses the days where Logan kept her hand to hand sharp. Now, every session was extreme and simulation based. A completely overpowered Magneto simulation raged around them.

He was covered in chaotic, purple energy, sending magnetic blasts all over. "_Watch it,_" Logan barked. For a room that ran on simulations, it sure hurt. "Stripes," He crossed his arms and looked at them expectedly. Rogue huffed. She hated exercises that made her absorb her teammates. Lately, every training session required that of her. She removed a glove and tapped them both quickly.

She teleported to Jean who was currently being held behind a metal bar. Rogue tugged, successfully freeing her. Rogue reached over and phased Scott through the metal plate blocking him. They all landed on the ground, eyeing the metal monster Magneto was sending after them. Jean tried to focus and dismantle his creation, but she wasn't completely focused. She was having a hard time getting a handle on her own powers, lately.

Scott ran forward and fired an optic blast. It reflected off the metal, nearly reflecting it back on Kitty and Rogue. They dove out of the way as the explosion shattered tile. Kurt tried to teleport near the hologram of Magneto, but he was sent flying by the magnetic interference. Logan shook his head with a snarl.

"End simulation." He stood and waited for things to die down, his arms crossed. "I was _not_ impressed." He told them, his face displeased. '_They need to get their groove back. I know it's hard, but...'_

"Vhat're you riding us like this, for?" Kurt asked, rubbing an afflicted shoulder. "Things have been quiet!" Kitty snorted beside him, her face covered in soot.

"Because all of the villains are_ planning,_ Kurt-" Kitty quipped. He glowered at her.

"We are all fully expecting _you know who_ to pull some bull out of his ass." He gestured to the projection of Magneto. "Chuck's death didn't do any _wonders_ for that guy's mental health, I'm sure." Everyone dipped their heads in agreement. "If there's a worldwide fallout for something _he_ does, we need to be on the ball with making sure his plans don't succeed. He could undo everything Charles has worked so hard for."

The X-Men looked amongst each other, their faces contemplative. They knew he was right. The longer he took to move, the more collectively worried they became.

"I just hope we're ready..."

_Logan tries to look into the face of the scared, devastated kids. Gathered together in the school's courtyard, huddled in black, he could see how young they all really were. Even the oldest kids. And most of them were losing the closest they've ever had to a father figure. Any mutant who met the man considered him so, nobody could make an X-Gene carrier feel more comfortable in their skin. _

_The peace Rogue has been able to make with her mutation was largely in thanks to him. Logan hated funerals. Mourning. But for Charles, he would muster the strength to speak. And for all those kids in that crowd. _

_But nobody knew what to do when Magneto descended from the sky. He said not a word, his face splotchy and tear stained. Moments later, both Wanda and Pietro appeared, standing silently towards the back. A few looks were communicated, but ultimately everyone had to figure that Charles would've wanted his oldest friend there. Logan ignored the sudden tenseness of his metal frame. _

_"I see a lot of hurt, angry pairs of eyes right now..." He sees Rogue, her head dipped in a dark green hood the professor had gifted her. He hears Jean sniff, sees Kitty's bloodshot eyes. "I know in response to things like this, revenge... Gettin' even," He clutched a tight fist. "Feels like an answer. An answer that goes against everything the professor believed in. That ain't how he wanted it." _

_His eyes shined with emotion as he looked out into all the visitors. "Revenge and hatred went against that man's grain. He was really just cut from a different cloth." He smiled sadly as the wind blew, ruffling his wild hair. He cast a warm, wistful look back at Charles' headstone. "It's like Chuck used to say. Maintaining yer principals when you're up against the wall... That's the only time it means much'o anything." He looked into all their eyes. _

_"Doing things the right way ain't always easy." He said earnestly. "But most things worth doin' hardly are." When he moved away from the podium, lots of sniffling could be heard. But there was silence when Erik Lensherr stood. A dropped pin could be heard as Logan stared at the man for a long time. His face said a lot of things with no words as the man slowly approached the microphone. _

_Rogue took in a deep breath, the sight of the man dredging up memories of the holocaust. Of people being cremated, turned into ash. She hears it, smells it as she suddenly began to feel lightheaded. She stifled a moan, refusing to ruin the service. She felt a hand on her shoulder and felt embarrassed to see it was Jean's touch, probably feeling everything she felt. Rogue was mortified, but too surprised by Magneto to really care. He stands, seemingly trying to get control of his breathing for a few moments. _

_None of the X-Men had ever seen the mutant close to this emotional. Tormented. But calm at the same time, like he's been preparing for this moment forever. The moment Charles left us. _

_"My only solace," He looked around as though it were is inauguration speech. "Is that Charles and I have said everything we ever wanted to say to each other." Silence. For as surprisingly open and raw as he had displayed himself at this service, his face hardened instantly. Like he met his quota for emoting for the day."But I promise you this." Logan moved to interrupt the man, but Hank held him back. "Charles' dream will live on." He rose to the air, guests bursting out into shocked murmurs. _

_Rogue crossed her arms. Why did it sound like a threat when he said it?_


	2. Chapter 2

The Acolytes met the day after Charles died.

These had been Erik's secret stipulations. He had a plan made, set aside, and prepared for incase _anything_ ever happened to his dear adversary. It was something so against the ethics of his late friend, he could've never put it into action with him there. It was kind of ironic, but he would not let his friend's dreams die in vain. Die with_ him._

Pietro and Wanda stood stone faced behind him. His son was a spitting image of him at that age, that is where the resemblance stopped. He was still impatient, lazy, and a complainer. But, as the world became a crazier place for mutants to be, the more he wanted a place at his father's side. Especially with Charles gone (and his chances of going to the institute were slim), this was his only choice.

The same went for Wanda. It wasn't the mutant politics motivating her, it was a need to be close with her father. To have something in common. Piotr stood towards the back of the cluttered hideout. He was not proud or happy to be in league with Magneto. But he was able to keep his dear sister safe. What other choice did he have? The Acolytes stood for everything he _wasn't,_ but for Illyana, he could suffer.

Remy leaned against the wall, shuffling his cards cooly. In truth, he was sad to hear the professor was gone. He almost wished he could check on Rogue for some, strange, altruistic reason. But he would bring only chaos showing up there, especially once he participated in Magneto's plan. Whatever he had planned would only solidify the rift between the two groups.

A slender, short haired, asian girl also hid in the shadows, waiting to be addressed by the legendary mutant. She was a little bit younger than the rest of the group, but her powers were amazing. He had assembled this group for specific reasons.

"I have known that this is what I would do if Charles was struck down for some time." He looked into each member's face. "I agreed, I could_ try_ his way. Try _peace_ so long as he was here." He clutched a fist tightly, memories of the mutant burning his brain. "And he was shot down at a _peaceful protest._" The mutants hung their heads. Even former Brotherhood members had nothing bad to say about the psychic. "Humans. They pick violence time after time..." His eyes darkened. "So I choose_ violence a_s well."

"What is Magneto plan?" Piotr asked softly, eyeing the man. He was brilliant, but he got a little fantastical at times. He hoped this wasn't one of those times.

Tiny, tiny pieces of metal collected in Magneto's hands. Slowly, they built a figure. A person. Remy squinted. _'Das not...'_

_"Rogue?"_ Wanda raised an eyebrow. She still wore the same kind of makeup, but she'd stopped cropping and dying her hair. It was now a muted brown and to her shoulders. Rogue had always bothered her the least of the X-Men._ 'What does my father want with her?'_

Remy felt his heart rate go up, and Piotr felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. "What need with _Rogue_?" He asked genuine confusion. Remy looked uneasily between them.

"Rogue retains_ all_ of the abilities she's absorbed. If she's absorbed _you_," His eyes narrowed. "Yours, too. She could have any ability should she just touch someone. What do _you_ think?" Piotr swallowed at the insensitive tone of his boss' voice.

"How ya gon' get her to leave dat school?" Remy questioned fearfully. She would never go for this. Would he threaten her, brainwash her... The more he thought about it, the more he felt the walls coming in. "_Especially_ if Charles jus' died." The older mutant pressed his mouth into a grim line. "Magneto." The magnet mutant gestured, and a petite girl approached him.

_"This_ is Blindspot," He began somberly. Piotr looked like he would be sick, imagining what a certain, pony-tailed mutant would think of his involvement. He wiped his giant hand over his face and groaned. This was going to be so bad. Remy shook his head vigorously. "She has the abilities to alter... Change, _erase_ memories." Remy felt like he was going to hurl.

He fought the urge to cry out in protest. There was no way he was going to kidnap her _and_ deliver her to Magneto, was he? Taking her had been bad enough, but leading her to think she was someone_ else_? He felt disgusting.

"You're going to_ trick_ her into being an Acolyte?" Wanda questioned flatly. Her father blinked slowly.

"Unlocked, evolved... Rogue alone has the power to unite our race for_ one cause._ Our betterment. What better symbol than a mutant, fighting, with your powers, too? Leading the revolution against homo sapiens." He took in a shuddering breath. "It won't be the way he wanted, but I _will_ get our people peace."

"So y'gonna_ force_ her?" Magneto chuckled ruefully. It wasn't exactly a secret that Remy was at least fond of the girl. He'd secretly been wondering if Remy would even go through with being an Acolyte, now._ 'I may need him the most._' He hoped so, he wanted to account for surprises. And he already knew he'd be yanking her from their cold, dead hands._ 'I was beyond fortunate to find Blindspot...'_

"No matter what it takes." He responded simply. Remy shook his head, not surprised in the least bit. _'Everybody wanna use her...'_ He thought grudgingly. Including him. He had added to that horrible list, and now he was going to aid Magneto to do the same. Again. He really wasn't a fan of himself as the other Acolytes discussed the news amongst themselves.

"They took our strongest weapon against the ignorance and fear of humans. _Charles Xavier_." His helmet levitated over, settling on his head. "So. now we will draft the strongest weapon that remains. No matter what it takes. _By any means necessary._" Remy dropped his eyes, suddenly feeling sick.

_'What Remy gonna do...'_

* * *

Logan called it.

Four weeks after the funeral, Magneto and his Acolytes attacked a Friends Of Humanity protest. It was a mob scene, and the worst mutant related incident in a year. When Charles was alive, the group was thought to be disbanded and Erik an ally of the X-Men. But only the telepath's life promised that. Now, after reeling from emotions, he would continue to fight for mutants. The only way Erik Lensherr knew how.

The whole world was watching, now. Logan was stressing the importance of getting this done _right._ No civvies in the crossfire, no millions of dollars of property damage. He knew it was largely out of the team's control. They only got better as X-Men in the years after Apocalypse. He knew, with Bucket Head, a lot of that would be out of their control. But the world would see them try, damn it.

The plan, unless otherwise stated, was to pass Rogue along like a football and get the magnetist drained. That would quiet his tantrum the quickest. This wasn't Rogue's first rodeo with him, either. Before the professor passed, he'd been working on Rogue's powers, trying to see if there was a way to make all her powers accessible. The breakthrough never came before his death.

_'I'd sure feel better if she had access to all her abilities.'_ He thought, eyeing her wearily. "Be _careful._.." He warned seriously as the X-Jet landed. She nodded, shrugging her cropped jacket on.

She had no problems making this bout quick. The quicker it was over, the less damage done. But it didn't go that way. Magneto, was not alone in downtown Bayville. He hovered in the air above the massive, anti-mutant banners strung over buildings. He watched, unflinchingly, as people in the crowd fled through the streets. The magnet master's heart accelerated when he saw the X-Men had finally arrived.

_'Now, this begins.' _Metal was ripped from the streets, from pipes in the ground, and from buildings. Cars lifted all around him as he waited.

"On your guard!" Logan ordered, unsheathing his claws. Laura was beside him, her claws already out. Rogue edged beside them, fiddling with her gloves as she hopped from foot to foot. She went (even whiter) white as a ghost when she saw a figure appear through the billowing smoke and chaos. A figure with a staff. '_No...'_ She thought, her stomach lurching. Cars dropped from the sky like precipitation.

If Remy was anywhere near Magneto, he was an Acolyte again. Meaning, the Acolytes were not disbanded. Or, they had an agreement to reform if something happened to Charles. Rogue wasn't sure which was worse. She heard the growl raise in both Logan and Scott's throats. Neither man had expected anything different from him. He approached them lazily, his weapon spinning around.

His eyes were anchored on Rogue. He let out a salacious whistle. "My,_ my_. Ya look better every time I see ya, _chére._ And dat ain' easy." Rogue trembled, fighting her blush as she was standing right next to Logan and Kurt. Neither of them noticed, and if they did they didn't act like it. They were preoccupied with the cajun. He seemed... Different. A few years separated now and when he'd taken Rogue, but then he had an almost harmless, laissez-faire attitude about him.

They didn't want to admit it, but they had been most scared that Remy would take her. For good. But now, there was something sinister about him. He seemed like someone who could hurt her, now. It was in his eyes. Cruel. Unyielding. Rogue found herself frozen, staring down the mutant's cruel sneer. "Sit dis one out,_ petite._ Remy don' like fighting beautiful women." He gestured towards his face. "You can jus' have a _seat_ right here..."

Now Rogue's face was as red as Jean's hair. She was so embarrassed he was being vulgar towards her. Because she was around her team and Logan, and because she was so hopelessly inexperienced with sex. She couldn't help but blush, making it even worse. He grinned at her like a hungry alligator.

"Who the_ fuck_ do you think you're talking to," Logan warned, his eyes black.

"Ah... A-Ah..." Rogue stammered as Wanda appeared in the air behind her father. _'What, what the hell is going on?' _Something really strange was going on. _'This doesn't make sense!'_ She thought. Wanda's powers were a holy terror to fight. And she never, in a million years, thought she'd work for her father. Kitty gasped beside Jean when she saw the titanium skinned mutant, grudgingly in his uniform.

_'P-Piotr...'_ She thought. Magneto snapped, and Wanda hovered forward in a haunting, red light._ 'He looks... Bothered by something?'_

"X-Men, mo-" Scott screamed as he was enveloped in Wanda's red energy_. 'What?'_ Rogue watched in horror as Wanda began hexing her friends all the way down the block. One by one, Logan, Kurt, Scott, Kitty, Jean, Bobby, and Amara were all sent flying down the road. Leaving Rogue alone, horribly alone. Even though Logan knew it was useless, he thrashed wildly against her powers.

"You guys!" She screamed, eyeing the former goth mutant.

_'No, that bastard is here for her!'_ He realized, his heart slamming in his chest. He should've known. "MAGNETO," He screamed, held taut by his daughter. Rogue dropped one of her gloves. She wasn't sure why they had all singled her out, but she wouldn't go down without a fight._ 'Okay, Rogue. Think of everything Logan's taught me...'_ She looked at Wanda wearily, wondering how she was even supposed to get to her to touch.

The petite, asian girl came out of nowhere, kicking and screaming. She cartwheeled towards Rogue and kicked at her, the girl barely dodging out of the way. She was covered in a slick black and yellow unitard, one Rogue had never seen before. She dropped quickly and narrowly avoided a punch. Rogue screamed and launched her foot, kicking forward. Her boot connected with the girl's stomach, sending her careening into a car.

Screaming, Rogue flipped forward to tackle her. Blindspot rolled out of the way, swiping desperately for Rogue's skin. _'She's not scared of my mutation...'_ She thought, freaked out.

'_Just get a hold of her and this is all done.'_ She thought cockily. Magneto was very interested in her mutation and spent a lot of time gassing her up. _'Time to prove him right!'_ She reached for her again, but Rogue dropped to the concrete, breathing heavily. She swiped her foot with a scream, sending Blindspot crashing into the ground. Rogue scrambled for her, not even caring what her powers were, but trying to touch her.

Suddenly, she froze. Wanda had hexed her with her other hand._ 'No, damn it!'_ She struggled, but there was no use.

"_Stripes,_" Logan snarled from feet away.

"_Really,_ Wanda? Went through all that crap to do what _daddy_ says," She growled, gasping when Wanda made the hex tighter. Remy hung his head, refusing to meet Rogue's eyes although she stared._ 'What is Remy doin'...' _He watched, his expression definitely sad as Magneto's plan came to fruition.

"No hard feelings, Rogue. He's _family._" She said, as though she were already tired of saying it. Rogue thrashed anyways, even though she knew there was no point. '_Ah'm doomed...'_

_"Cheater,_" Rogue hissed, watching with fearful eyes as Blindspot prepared to touch her.

"It wouldn't have mattered if you touch me," The strange girl said, almost apologetically. Her short, dark hair flipped out at the ends, giving her a juvenile look. She was definitely younger than Rogue, she had to be. Rogue had to guess she was close to Kitty or Laura's size, and just as lean. Rogue strained and struggled to get away from her hand.

_"NO,_" Rogue let out a scream that her whole team heard, despite being powerless to help. Kurt writhed, trying harder to teleport than he'd ever tried before. When Jean began to scream like a banshee, everyone started going wild.

She cried, thrashing her head back and forth. "_NO,_" She gasped, her eyes wide in shock.

"JEAN," Logan cried. "What's _happening?_"

"That mutant," Jean's voice rose in pitch as she spoke. "Oh god, Scott. She's replacing and altering Rogue's_ memories_ with fake ones... W-When she's done, she..." She let out a sob that had Scott ready to chew himself out of Wanda's hex. "With the professor gone, do you realize the lasting damage she could _do?_" The psychic was near hysterical herself, driving Kurt and Kitty to a frenzy.

They were all pinned uncomfortably against the concrete, flailing helplessly. _"Jean,"_ He hissed. '_What the hell is happening over there?_' "Rogue!"

Rogue fought the sensation with all her might, but memories were a weak spot for the mutant. '_No... Don't let her... Don't forget...'_ The psyches and memories already took such a toll on her, that Blindspot had little to no difficulty rewriting her memories with _new_ ones. Rogue's scream petered out as she grew weaker, sailing to the ground._ 'No...'_ Veins bulged on Logan's skin as he craned his neck to see her. "Rogue,_ c'mon_. FIGHT." He screamed, wishing desperately Wanda's hex would fail. But it never did. "MARIE,"

_'I have to do something,'_ Jean thought. Her powers were more tied to her emotions than she wanted to admit, and ever since the professor had died they'd been... Off._ 'I can do this.'_ She focused, centering her mind and her powers. She thought of everything he taught her, everything he'd ever said to her about her powers. She felt Wanda's hex being slowly pried off of her. With a grunt she broke free, taking to the sky. "Atta girl, Red." Logan cheered in awe, praying she made it in time.

Jean hovered faster than anyone remembered seeing her fly, rocketing over to where Wanda and Blindspot had Rogue. You could practically hear her telepathy sizzle as she tried to aid her teammate. It began to flare bright pink, and even at times, orange as she raced for the red witch. _"Wanda,_" She began through clenched teeth, like a mother reprimanding a child.

Magneto's offspring didn't acknowledge Jean, much. She flicked a wrist wrapped in red energy, and Jean cried out._ 'C'mon, you got this.'_ She insisted, shooting mobile bursts of telepathic energy._ 'I'm stronger than her.'_ Wanda's powers were just so unpredictable. No matter what she threw, Wanda's powers managed to at least make her effort miss.

The witch covered herself in a massive, red bubble. Her eyes even began to glow red. Seconds later, Jean was sent colliding with the street. With a final moan of resignation, Rogue collapsed onto Blindspot. The dark haired girl tentatively held her, guilt gnawing at her insides. The instant she was out, metal began compiling around all the Acolytes and surrounding them with spheres. Logan screamed and shouted until his voice blew out, but Magneto would not heed.

In a few more moments, they were hundreds of miles away. Leaving the X-Men in the dust. Eventually, Wanda's hex wore off, releasing them. But it was too little, too late. Where Rogue was was anybody's guess, now. Logan pounding the ground angrily, his metal fist ringing softly. "What the _hell_ just happened!" He screamed at nobody in particular. Magneto baited them and they took it. _'God fucking damn it.'_

"Rogue!" Kurt screamed helplessly through cupped hands. "Oh god..." They all stood and looked in the sky at the rapidly retreating circles.

_xxx_

Logan was sitting in the waiting area of the infirmary, his head in his hands. He felt a migraine coming on, and it would be the first of many if Rogue was gone long. The kids were exhausted because nobody had slept well after the professor's death. Now, they were anxious and worried about Rogue and the government's retaliation over Magneto. _'This is not what we need with Chuck gone...'_ He scrubbed his face until his eyes were red and puffy. Jean and Scott hovered above him, the worry written on their faces.

When he smelled Kitty, his head snapped up. She looked like a glass of water that was about to spill, it tugged at his insides and made him want to stab things. "How's Elf," He asked, his face pained.

_"Hank_... Thought it a good idea to _sedate_ him..." She tried to keep her voice from cracking. Logan's face managed to pale even further, Scott clenching a fist beside him. "He just..._ Um_," Kitty twiddled her fingers. "He knows Magneto experiemented on him... Maybe Wanda, he's just worried about what he would use _her_ for, we all are..." Logan heaved a heavy sigh, thinking fast for a way to soothe the poor girl.

_"Listen,"_ He said, his voice gravelly. "This is _best case_ scenario. Magneto bein' radio silent until Chuck passes? That means it's impulsive,_ emotional._" He looked at her with dark, intense eyes, impressed by the words rolling off his tongue. "A response to trauma. Not one of his_ cuckoo for cocoa puff_ plans he's been plotting on for years." He tried to look exasperated. "We'll talk him down, we'll deal with the fall out and _everything_ will be fine." He insisted, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Scott and Jean exchanged glances. "Y-You think so?" She practically sobbed. Logan shook his head stiffly.

"Yep, for all his faults... Magnus _loved_ Charles."_ 'And on that principal alone, he can't harm Rogue. Because Rogue was important to him...'_ He left strongly implied. Kitty nodded dumbly, her lip quivering. Jean wrapped an arm around her.

"C'mon, Kit. I'll make you some tea..." Jean offered, ushering her towards the kitchen. Scott sighed and wiped his hands over his face.

"Be straight with me Logan." He turned to face the man, his jaw clenched.

"What is Magneto capable of right now? A Magneto with no _Charles Xavier _in the world..." Logan's eyes narrowed.

"One of the times Charles got in to Bucket Head's head, know what he_ saw?_" He wrinkled his nose with an unreadable expression. "Him daydreamin' casually about _rippin' my adamantium skeleton_ out for getting smart mouthed with him." Scott suddenly felt sick, and he did not get queasy easily. "Personally, I'd like to see him try. But Rogue," His expression darkened. "We need to get her out of there, _especially_ right now. Especially because Charles is gone." '_So is his humanity.'_

* * *

The Acolytes were gathered morbidly in Magneto's underground Muir Island base. Blindspot was working furiously on Rogue, who was still incapacitated. She tucked dark strands of hair behind her ear, the other hand on Rogue. Whatever Erik wanted her memories to be, he just told her. Remy watched, his face blank as they built her into a whole new person._ 'Makin' up a whole new life to manipulate her...'_ He felt sick suddenly, imagining having his memories tampered with. _'Gotta watch petite, for sure.'_ He warned himself.

He wanted so bad to snatch Rogue up and race to the institute. He wasn't the most morally forward guy, but even_ he_ found this despicable. Insidious. Cruel. He could tell Piotr did too, he was just fundamentally a good guy. His face was buried in his massive hands, squirming in discomfort. Magneto's children watched in a mixture of shock and disgust.

"Are you ready?" Magneto snapped after a while, watching Blindspot like a hawk. It was clear he had been getting impatient. She huffed.

"Yes, what do you want?"

"Her name is Anna Marie. Mine, Joseph." He caught a few weird looks that he ignored. "Her codename,_ Legacy._" Remy's face darkened._ 'Legacy?'_ He repeated, wondering just what he was up to. "Her mother," He rolled his eyes. "Birth mother is Raven Darkholme." Remy's blood when arctic._ 'Mystique?!' "_It has been prophesied, it is her_ destiny_ to use her many mutant powers to fight for all mutantkind. The X-Men are her_ sworn enemies,_ they want to kill her because she has the potential to stop them. They are evil, mutant terrorists." Blindspot nodded, conjuring fake memories of the X-Men attacking her, chasing after her.

Now, it seemed the man's next request was unreasonable. At least, he was acting like it. Remy's stomach flipped. "Okay, now..." Blindspot nodded.

"Now..."

"Make our relationship as close as hers was with the professor. _Charles Xavier_." A lightbulb in the bathroom shattered, even Wanda unable to contain her awe. Remy's mouth hung open in silent disapproval, while Piotr got up with a clatter and excused himself. Magneto had not expected them to understand, what Charles dying_ really_ meant, what they would have to do. It was easier not to try._ 'As long as they remember the order of things, I care not about their opinions.'_

Blindspot hesitated for a second before obliging, sweat trailing down her brow. "The Acolytes are her protectors." He continued, his face intense._ "Gambit,_" Remy was ripped from his trance, his eyes on the magnet mutant. "You are fully responsible for her safety, making sure the X-Men do not take her or undo what's been done here today. Understood?" Remy glowered, then steeled his face. Hoping he didn't see, he dipped his head.

"Right," He uttered, not very talkative. Magneto nodded. He frowned when Blindspot made a face.

"I... I think I figured out something..." She murmured, looking at the strange girl. "She has the abilities to use all her powers, but doesn't know_ how to use_ that ability." She turned back to the white haired man. "If I give her memories of being able to control her power..."

"She will be able to recall her abilities. Excellent, I won't have to manipulate her mutation at all." Magneto seemed to relax at the prospect of having to do a little less work._ 'He is interrupting' and changin' her life. Puttin' it on pause and he's happy to cut corners on what he has to do...'_ Remy had never been Magneto's fan, but he was certainly disgusted by him, now._ 'But I accept pay and shut my lip about it, what dat make Remy?'_ He sighed.

"You are to find me when she's awake and ready. Then," He flashed his cape around him. "We will be begin." Blindspot swallowed, turning her focus back on the pale girl below her._ 'I better get this just right,'_ She thought. She'd never seen him so wired or excited about anything. It was kind of chilling.

"Yes, sir." He floated into the darkness like a specter, leaving an uncomfortable atmosphere behind him. Remy pinched the bridge of his nose. _'What has Remy done?'_


	3. Chapter 3

"They're either underground or covered in a dome of impenetrable metal." Logan said, his face tense as he stared at the War Room computer. There was an untouched cup of black of coffee on the table in front of him somebody had left. "Knowing him, probably _both_. Don't suspect we'll have much luck tracking her with Cerebro?" He turned to Jean to make sure.

"I'll keep checking for signature flares with Cerebro," Jean volunteered, the device in her hand. She struggled to keep her grip on it steady.

"But this means, whenever Magneto crawls out of his_ hidey hole_ to do god knows what..." His eyes darkened. "We have to stop him, we have to get her back, _then._" Jean's expression became seriously troubled beside him. "He looked like he was_ jonesing_ to be in control of her, the lunatic. He won't give us any chances he doesn't have to." He struggled to keep the growl out of his voice.

"If he's smart, that mutant imprinted over her memories with _ones of us_ attacking her, being her enemy..." She shook her head and tried to imagine having the sanctity of her memories violated. _'Poor Rogue...'_ Scott let air whistle through clenched teeth. "But, these memories aren't real. We can overcome them." She added, determined to sound positive. But the damage was done, Logan knew in order to get her safely away from them, they'd probably have to terrify her. _Kidnap_ her, again, from what she _thinks_ is her life_. 'I don't know if Rogue's psyche can even handle that.'_ He thought, rage rising.

He had been even more protective over her when her mutation reached a breaking point, leaving the girl in purgatory for over a month. He learned the true stress and pain she lived with, and she was forever imprinted on his heart. To hear her head and memories were being _altered_ deeply worried him.

He suddenly felt very nauseated. _'I will find a way to kill him...'_ Logan thought bitterly, his mind clouding with rage_. 'There's no Chuck here to talk me out of it.'_ He tried to ignore how utterly hopeless things were looking. For her, especially. If the kids sensed it on him, everything would fall apart. More than it already had, anyways. Scott noticed the expressions on his face from a mile away.

"We're gonna get her back." Scott's glasses glinted in the light, and he forced himself to sound confident. Logan nodded, his eyes shining. He stood with a groan.

"Gonna check on Elf and Kit." He said, his face blank. Losing the professor and Rogue in such a quick timeframe was aging the man. It was bleeding the institute dry. Scott watched helplessly, hoping where ever she was, that she was fine.

* * *

Rogue came to when Remy was bringing some garments Magneto had set aside in her room. She was draped over a bed with dark purple sheets. He froze, his heart rate and temperature both rising. He shook copper colored hair in front of his eyes as he watched, holding his breath as she twitched and moaned softly. He felt a lot of emotions when she made a noise, all of which he ignored. He stood still, his trench coat shrouding his magenta and blue armor.

_"Remy_?" Her voice sounded the same. Happier than usual to see him. _Too_ happy. _'What kind of memories Blindspot give ya, girl? Don' be happy t'see me...'_ He forced himself not to look guilty.

_"Chére_," He said, forcing an even expression. "Ya awake. Overdid it a lil bit, _non?_" He mused. He was grateful she didn't inquire what that meant. She sat upright and stretched delicately. If Remy didn't have an expert pokerface, he was sure his cheeks would be tinged bright red. She was so bright eyed and bushy tailed for someone who had their _memories_ rearranged. Guilt panged Remy again. "E_-Joseph_ sent some warmer clothes and clothes for ya, dey over here."

He gestured to where he laid them down. "Thank you." Her voice was uncharacteristically warm, her gaze soft. He suddenly realized he felt more at home under her scrutinizing stare, her perpetually annoyed tone. She was almost a stranger to him, no matter how well she seemed to know _him_. He didn't feel like he was a safe enough distance away from her. The girl was open. More open than he'd ever imagined.

She had gained a little color to her skin, freckles across her nose. Rosy cheeks. He blinked, ashamed he was admiring her. "My pleasure." He held back, he really wanted to call her Rogue. And he did not want to call her_ Legacy_, Magneto could do that. He tried to keep his expression even. Not overly chipper, not too somber or serious. He had to imagine the girl was actually fragile emotionally after having her head messed around. Remy wasn't sure why, but the thought really pissed him off.

She swung her legs over the bed, grinning. He watched, his mouth agape as she hovered effortlessly. She raised a hand and the capes and clothes floated over to her. He watched in wonder as she examined them. She held out a dark green and white cape with a hood. Her eyes positively twinkled as she looked at it, and all of a sudden, Remy wished _he'd_ gotten it for her.

"It'd look amazin' on ya,_ petite."_ He smiled genuinely when she pressed a gloved hand to her cheek, a redness spreading under.

"Did'ya ya say Joseph got these for me?" Remy tilted his head to the side, trying to conjure an amused look.

"Mhm," She came closer to him and Remy felt himself sweating. Her eyes seemed even warmer when she thought about Magneto. _'Yeah, cus' she feel fo' him what she felt fo' de professor...'_ He tried not to shake his head at how disturbing that was.

"Ah should thank him." she said, her accent thick as she rubbed the cloth. He nodded dumbly.

"Take ya to his room," He suggested, wondering if Blindspot had the foresight to make her comfortable there. She just smiled, less tension in her body than Remy had ever seen on the girl. It didn't seem weird to her, she followed after him to the door. Standing there, about to knock was Piotr, looking awfully embarrassed. Remy jumped.

"Remy, Legacy." The Russian's smile was rehearsed. He held forward a steaming cup of tea. "Piotr thought a lady might want tea." Rogue smiled and placed a grateful hand on his bicep.

"Thanks, Pete. Sounds great, right now." She accepted the cup gingerly and took a sip. She hovered past the Acolyte, leaving him by her door, very confused. _'Did she just... Oh dear...'_

_'Why don' I wanna take her there?'_ He thought, his face pensive. Remy found himself clearing his throat as he prepared to knock on his door. Magneto opened the door, his silvery hair to his shoulders now in length. Again, Remy thanked his acting skills. Though it surprised him, Rogue was none the wiser. _'He said somethin' about an evolution machine to disguise himself...'_ He didn't see how long hair equated to evolution, but he kept it to himself.

Magneto emulated a warm look as best he could. It was kind of jarring to have Rogue around all the time, as excited as he was to implement her in his plans. And he was trying to feign a deep connection already. "Legacy," He looked to her hands and smirked. "I see you saw the things I picked up for you." She nodded, Remy standing there to awkwardly chaperone.

"Ah _love_ 'em. Can't wait to wear. " Remy noted that his employer seemed quite pleased with himself.

"Excellent. How are you feeling?" Rogue shrugged noncommittally, examining the X-Suit she was wearing._ 'Weird, Ah don't remember when I got this..._' She thought, brushing the strange feeling off.

"Fine, just a lil tired." He nodded.

"Well, if you're feeling up to it, I was thinking maybe we could train a little bit. Would you like that?" Rogue shook her head yes. "Okay, change into your uniform and meet me downstairs." The two mutants exited and he shut the door behind him. It was... Weird to say the least, for Remy, to accompany Rogue this way. He had felt less restrained and comfortable in New Orleans. Now, he's worried saying the wrong thing and triggering a memory. _'But she acts like she's comfortable around me...'_ This memory stuff was confusing. And he didn't like it.

When he got to her door he hung back, watching her make it to the bed. "Y'need anything ya jus' let me or Piotr know, _okay_?" He asked. She laughed to herself, folding a black shirt.

"You act like Ah've never _been_ here before." She chuckled lightly. "This is home." The look in her eyes looked so sure, so certain that she was where she was. supposed to be. Remy's face fell, he couldn't help it that time. He said amen when she didn't notice. If she were facing him, she would've seen the fear flash in his eyes. But she was putting her clothes away. Remy recovered quickly, leaning up against the wall comfortably for emphasis.

Remy snorted. "Ah jus' don't want ya overdoin' it. You're a busy body." The 'R' of Rogue almost rolled off his tongue. It felt wrong not saying it, not knowing if it was okay. She tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Thanks, Remy." He slapped the back of his neck awkwardly. He pulled himself away from her door and into the exercise room of the headquarters. Gambit had a lot on his mind, and burning it off sounded like a good idea.

* * *

Logan didn't remember the last time he slept. Sleep was a luxury. A luxury afforded_ before_ Charles was killed and Rogue was brainwashed. He might catch 15 minutes here, 10 minutes there (and_ only_ because of Ororo and Jean's frantic insistence), but his healing factor would just have to do the rest. Jean was working too hard, catching glimmers of an unusual signatures. Multiple abilities spotted in multiple places on the map, but at the same time... Magneto found a way to scramble his mutation locations. There were clues, but no definitive place to start a search.

Four days and counting, Magneto had still been quiet. Logan had sent memos out to all his contacts and allies, and Kitty was constantly researching the news in the War Room. Nothing. But now, Nick Fury was on their doorstep. And he didn't look thrilled.

"We kind of got our_ own-_" Logan began, not even having the heart to act annoyed.

"I know Laura's here, Logan." He felt his heart practically jump out of his chest._ 'If they think they're takin' that little girl while Rogue is missing they have another god damn-'_ Fury shifted uncomfortably. "So, I_ know_ that you care. You care about what I'm about to say." The girl, going on young woman, was watching from the top of the steps. The tension left Logan's posture.

He felt the ground shift beneath his boots._ 'The other subjects, they... Only Laura...'_ He wiped his face quickly. "What are you saying, Nick."

His face became grim, even for him. "They had _your_ DNA, the materials, the_ blueprints_..." He noticed the mutant begin to vibrate. "They've done it again, this time the subjects are living... They are adolescent age..." Logan felt his soul torn in two different hemispheres. What was the right answer? Rogue, a mutant he'd mentored since she was a child was in Magneto's hands. But children, children like_ Laura_, potentially with his _DNA_ were suffering out there.

"Why are you telling me," He asked quietly, like he wouldn't be searching for them all once Rogue was safe and recuperating. Fury sighed.

"Look, us. S.H.I.E.L.D... We've got some of_ you o_n our payroll. Mutants." Logan crossed his arms.

_"And?"_

"I'm hearing some things underground that worry me, worry me a lot. Secret mutant rallies. Words of Magneto launching a planet changing event, inciting a war between us all because of Charles' death. I've heard they may plan to _free_ those subjects, and unleash them on the world. Unleash them on unsuspecting _people_. Little clones with _your_ healing, _your_ indestructible frame," He shifted uncomfortably. "That rage."

Without extreme artillery, they would wipe out whole cities. Logan had seen it. He had done it. He exhaled. "Okay, Fury. Okay. We'll have to cross all these stones off at once, Rogue's_ missing._" He watched the agent's eye go bloodshot.

"What,"

"Yeah." He pressed his lips together tight. "Been busy dealin' with_ that_ and Charles, didn't have time to fill you in." Fury rubbed the back of his neck.

"Who do you think has her? If you help with these subjects I'll apply manpower to-"

"Magneto." Now, Fury looked like his feet would collapsed under him.

"God help us all." Logan motioned for Laura and pushed Fury outside.

"Where are these kids." He sighed, reaching for his communicator. "Hey, Shades? Yeah..."

* * *

"Okay, Legacy." Magneto's voice called out. The Acolyte's training room was not as high tech as the Danger Room, but it was as large. He usually made them all duke it out amongst themselves. But, none of them would be touching Rogue. He needed to see how Blindspot's work and her powers had panned out. He watched her with his arms folded, his long hair a bit of a nuisance. "Whenever you are ready."

She nodded with a smile, her eyes shut in concentration. She rose slowly, all of the Acolytes watching. Nobody besides the X-Men had seen her power meltdown. Having control of so many abilities sounded insane. Impossible. Yet, here she was. Blindspot watched Rogue in awe. She was so graceful, so powerful. Her plan had been right. Her hair was in stubby pigtails and she was draped in an oversized, grey shirt and pants that had one full leg and one cut high on her thigh.

Rogue was donning the hood Magneto had picked out for her. Piotr sighed when he noticed, Remy ignoring his already shrinking appetite. It looked wonderful on her. It matched the uniform he'd made for her perfectly. All emerald green with a white trim. It took a page from the X-Men's book being form fitting, but looking like two separate pieces put together.

The tunic hugged hips that must've grown since Remy took the girl to New Orleans. She was still young, couple years younger than him. But her body wasn't juvenile at twenty. He shook the train of thought from his mind before somebody noticed. The cape billowed elegantly behind her as she floated, the hood upon her head. Curly, silver wisps poked out. She looked like a little prophet. _'Dat's what Magneto think he is.'_

Soon, the spheres and metal rods rose around her. They were covered in a purple light. Remy forced his mouth to shut, forced his fist to unclench when he noticed Magneto's smug expression. He was clad in a tight fitting, black shirt tucked into black, skinny fitting jeans. Piotr had on similar pants but a wife beater that hardly covered all his muscles.

Wanda stood beside her brother, dressed in the brightest clothes as usual, a white shirt and light wash jeans she could've fit in. She wore dark red unitard with a black cape, her arms folded in impatience. They never watched each other, they just fought. Battled until her father was satisfied, and she'd noticed that's what they all did without Rogue.

Rogue manipulated the electromagnetic particles in the air, covering herself in a bright, fuchsia sheen. The sight seemed to give the white haired man an idea. Everyone present noticed. Piotr jumped, not quite fond of the expression on his face. Remy glowered, knowing the look on his face when he had an 'epiphany' when he saw it. His daughter placed a hand on her hip, Pietro trying to ignore it all.

Remy let a gasp slip out when Rogue's skin turned to iron like Piotr's. As if on cue, so did his. Magneto smirked. At that, Remy tossed a deck of cards toward her. They all watched as her head began to glow with a pink butterfly. The deck flew to her quickly, cards erupting in the air and floating around her. Now, Magneto's mouth was dropped. He had expected power, but such... Grace? _Beauty?_

He found himself shocked and a little embarrassed to be admiring a child. Fireworks fired from one hand as she grabbed a card, charging it bright pink. Remy smirked, proud besides the strange circumstances. Clouds gathered above them and a light rain fell. But the sun was still shining, casting a massive rainbow over all of them. Even Pietro was smiling a little. Not a smirk or a sneer, a _smile._

But, Wanda was not. She tucked some of hair behind her ear with a bored expression._ 'Why do we have to watch this, my father is really asking a lot.'_ Her face darkened. _'And I'm his daughter.'_

Magneto marveled at the sky, feeling closer to Charles for some sentimental reason. It was his first genuine smile in weeks. "_Anna._.." He caught a look from both Piotr and Remy when he said that, one darker than the other. "Amazing." Wanda scoffed, unable to hold it much longer. Pietro glanced timidly at their father. He was too engrossed in Rogue to notice._ 'Uh oh,'_ He thought, eyeing Wanda. He had bought the ticket to this show many times before. _'She's jealous.'_

Rogue turned her head and fired an optic blast. Then, ice from her hands. She teleported closer to Magneto, a trail of metal following her. As if speaking some language only metal manipulators knew, Erik's eyes warmed and he raised a hand, moving some as well. Wanda moved forward but Pietro shoved her back. Remy began to feel uneasy. She was better than before, but it was no secret she was a little unstable.

As though she though Wanda felt left out by her not demonstrating her powers, Rogue hovered forward. She zipped, far too fast for the eye to see. Pietro froze, watching her in curiosity. She paused in front of them, her hands glowing red. Both her brother and Remy saw the downright evil expression in the witch's eye, but Rogue did not.

Wanda hardly understood her powers, neither did her father. He hadn't expected her to be able to adequately use his daughter's._ 'Her powers are a curse to someone of such little restraint._' The energy wrapped her hands but nothing happened. Wanda smirked, satisfied that Rogue couldn't do something. She crossed her arms and chuckled. "Got a little too cocky, there?" She nudged her head and a one of the metal spheres exploded away.

Magneto sighed. He had seen enough of his daughter's powers for a lifetime. It wasn't Rogue's display that interested him so much as her _control_. Her complete lack of fear to use them. Piotr gasped when the concrete floor began to shatter. Rogue grunted with effort, and from the soil grew a tiny, green plant. Remy covered his hand with his mouth as she used Wanda's powers to make the plant grow.

Nobody had ever seen her powers interact with the world _this way_. Wanda backed away in amazement and disgust. _'How the hell is she...'_ She looked up fearfully at Rogue. "Ugh, what _are_ you?" She accused. This wasn't right, Rogue wasn't supposed to be this way_. 'Her powers were the way they were for a reason.'_ Remy eyed Rogue carefully. She had a lot of control. _'Remy wonder if she can touch...'_

"She can't." He jumped when Sam moved beside him. He was weary of her, the memory changer. She could wreak havoc. "Touch, I didn't take away her mutation. I am just immune to it." She explained, marveling as Rogue made a plant grow. "We need some life down here." Remy turned his attention back to the silver banged mutant._ 'Even wit no memories, she still too good to be here...'_ He frowned.

Wanda was slowly becoming more and more agitated. "_Wanda,_" Magneto began, his stare lethal.

_"Joseph,_" He was shocked by the appalled and downright surprised tone of Rogue's voice. The soft, hurt look in her eyes was enough to melt the man, left stammering in front of his team. "She's_ fine._ Ah didn't need to showboat. You told me to really keep pushin' my limits, with everything...'" Wanda's frown didn't lift as Rogue explained, her body phasing through metal as they watched.

Magneto rubbed a temple, his head pounding already. "I think you_ did_ mean to showboat. You're a teacher's pet from-" Pietro pinched her and she screamed, their father's face going red. Rogue deflated.

"Wanda, we're_ friend_-" Rogue screamed as she flailed into the wall, thrusted by Wanda's hex energy. Magneto was moving quickly, slamming his own daughter to the wall with metal. His eyes remained gold, his face twisted into a snarl.

_"WANDA,"_

Rogue was up in a flash, her head flushed with a feeling a deja vu. Like she'd fought Wanda before. _"Wha..."_ Rogue rubbed her head and looked around. Remy was in front of her, his staff held taut.

_"Y'alright?_" The angry, buzzing bee feeling faded when he came near. Rogue nodded. "Good, don' mind her... She..." Remy wasn't sure how to explain. Wanda was always erratic, but she kind of had a reason this time.

"Gambit, take Legacy to her room. Everyone else, session over." Remy tucked his staff away and turned back to Rogue. Her feet were settled on the ground. She was staring off at Wanda, still pinned to the wall. Struggling. '_What's going on with her?'_ She thought_. 'Is it her powers? I thought we were friends...'_ She turned, her face pensive.

"C'mon, let's get some rest. Joseph talkin' about wantin' to travel soon." Rogue nodded silently, her brain feeling tired.

When they were alone, Magneto's voice erupted. "What were you _thinkin_-" His daughter's hex powers reactivated, removing the blocks. She hovered for a moment, her eyes enraged.

"That this is fucking ridiculous! Besides, I don't know, utterly fucking criminal_. Wrong._ What the hell, dad. I'm starting to think you're losing i-"

_"Silence._" His voice cut into her although it was very quiet. She knew when to yield. He had spoken like that before he committed her. She was far more sane now, but she didn't doubt him. Not for a second. "Do you know the amount of_ work_ Sam had done to her mind. That she is still_ fragile_, needing time for the work to _solidify_." She wanted to speak, but she just nodded. "And so you attack her-"

"She_ asked_ for it demonstrating my powers like that-"

"You will _stop_ being hostile." He demanded. "The girl is still as benign as could be. And in her mind, you are allies. Teammates, _friends._ As she was with the X-Men. You will act accordingly." His eyes were two dark holes that were simmering at her.

"I don-"

**"Wanda.**" There he was. The man who left her institutionalized for her entire childhood. "I will suggest that you think long, and hard about her powers. _Blindspot's_ powers..." She felt a chill suddenly, like she was not looking at her father. "Rogue has already shown an ability to control, to conquer what _you can not._ Don't make me have her suck you dry for the good of the world. Show me you've got some sense, daughter. That is all."

Tears were filling behind her eyelids. A mirror shattered and she flew off, right past Remy, out the room. He'd had a question to ask that he'd forgotten, now. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop but they spoke so fast.._. 'He wouldn't...'_ He began to feel anxious._ 'He wouldn't do dat to her... His daughter, that'd probably kill Wanda. And leave Rogue as good as dead, too.'_

He looked up reluctantly, their eyes met.

* * *

_A/N: To everyone reading and reviewing, thank you from the bottom of my heart! _


	4. Chapter 4

The southerner wilted under Magneto's gaze. He was so seasoned, he didn't seem the least bit bothered by how he'd just had to speak to his own daughter, his own flesh and blood. And that bothered Remy._ 'How callous is he, really?'_ He thought, standing in silence. He didn't think it wise to underestimate the man in front of him, especially with Xavier dead. The older man stared at Remy but said nothing.

"Uh..." He began, angry he was at a loss for words in front of Erik Lensherr, of all people.

"You were here," Magneto stated, his patience thinning.

"Ah didn' mean to, Ah..." He exhaled through his nose. "Would'cha... Remy _mean_, make Rogue absorb... Wanda, like you said?" He tried to sound informative, as if Magneto didn't know precisely how Rogue's powers worked. The man stared at him pointedly, but made no moves to move. Remy forced himself to continue. "That could_ kill_ Wanda, or Rogue. Don' wanna think what woul' happen if-"

"Do you take me for an _idiot?_" There was no question in the legendary mutant's voice. Remy stood and waited for him to continue, his hands jittering. "That I am so cruel I would kill my own daughter punishing her?" He said nothing. The look on the man's face didn't convince her. "She is my_ daughter,_ Gambit." His face hardened. "She is headstrong, and that is dangerous with her... Abilities." He noted the pause.

"Ya wanted to scare her..." He filled in, relaxing slightly. Magneto narrowed his eyes.

"She cannot go after Rogue like that. The work Blindspot has done is delicate, and it could not only inconvenience me but seriously _harm_ her." Mentions of Rogue being harmed sobered Remy up the way he wanted it to. "If that was any indication of how she plans to serve my team, she should just leave now." He had nothing to say to that, a million questions behind his lips. "I'm glad that you take your_ assignment_ to Rogue seriously." The words hurt the New Orleans native. He was starting to care, but he had been appointed to watch over her.

If she ever came through the end of this, she would hate him for lying and deceiving her. Interfering seemed unwise, but he couldn't help how he felt. He'd let enough happen, he couldn't watch the man sacrifice Rogue's sanity. And he didn't believe that he wouldn't if Wanda pissed him off enough. Remy shifted from foot to foot, words still failing him.

"Don't question me again." There it was, a peek at the monster within. Remy had seen some evil himself, so it didn't scare him as much as he wanted it to. He kept his composure, his face even.

"Yes, sir." Magneto watched unflinchingly as he exited the training room.

* * *

The two girls stood together in the massive tub. Most of the mens' accommodations at the Muir island base were plain. Efficient. But the women's chambers were classy and created as though they had some thought put in. Marbled and gold detailing, high thread count towels. It was comfortable. Both Rogue and Sam sat relaxing in a hot tub after their training session. Rogue was still disturbed by Wanda's behavior, and the other girl had been instructed to watch over Rogue as well. _'Gambit will only be able to be trusted to a point. Until he's eventually fed up...' _

That was an easy enough task. Sam had the luxury of making the girl fond and close to her through memories. It was easy having a mutation that dealt with memories. If she wanted, nobody would remember her. She never left a trail anywhere. But nobody _knew_ her either. Her friends and enemies, employers all forgetting her. It took a toll on the young girl. All she wanted was a friend.

She felt guilty, giving the girl fake memories of their friendship. Their relationship, which was so dear... But, for now, she had what she wanted. A friend. She moved Rogue's hair out of the way of her back, lathering. She tingled from the touch. She was the only mutant or human alive like this that she could touch. It made them closer than most.

She almost reminded Rogue of someone, someone who's face was just outside the frame of Rogue's mind. So familiar. So close..._ 'She was small,'_ She thought. _'Tiny. Like Blindspot...'_

"Rogue?" She looked up and met her friend, her hair slicked back. "Something the matter?" She moved closer through the water when Rogue sighed.

"Sorry, Ah've been having a lot of deja vu." She chewed her lip._ 'I was told to patch up any lapses in her memories...'_ She thought, watching as Rogue leaned her head on her arms. "Just weird feelin's, I can't explain or chase... Ah sound silly,_ dont' Ah_?" She searched her friend's face for the answers. Sam shook her head slowly, her fingers still on Rogue's back.

"Not at all," She said, a little somberly. She flashed a big grin after. "It's Wanda, isn't?" Rogue sighed. The events early had been so strange and uncomfortable. She saw the girl as her friend but there was no warmth in her eyes. She looked crazed, desperate to stop Rogue. '_From what?_' Sam huffed. "You mustn't pay her any mind. Her powers, they're just really intense."

Rogue didn't seem placated by the answer, but she didn't push further. She looked at her reflection in the water._ 'Who am I...'_ "C'mon!" Sam splashed the other mutant playfully, covering her bust. "You said you'd shoot fireworks outside, remember?" Her face softened, ignoring the thoughts that had been plaguing her lately.

"Oh, yeah. Right." She smiled, something to occupy her than worries. "I'll go once we dry off."

* * *

Logan knew he smelled something. The trail was leading him to Kitty and Rogue's room._ Ouch._ He inhales, his chest feeling tight suddenly. He's stopped counting the days she's been gone. All he cares about when she's _back_, because that was up to them. Luckily, Jean finally caught something. Something that coincided too well with Fury's news from a few days ago.

_'Canada,'_ Logan thought, haunted by his own twisted memories. The thought of more children being subjected to what he and Laura had been made him feel hopeless. But it was for them and for Rogue he shouldered on, determined to help them. He would. He knocked, knowing Kitty was likely passed out from exhaustion. It was past midnight.

"Ugh,_ come in.._." He opened slowly, poking his head in. No matter how much he prepared himself on the walk, he wasn't prepared to see the mattress empty. Made. Undisturbed for over a week. Kitty seemed to have the same realization as her eyes adjusted. "Mr. Logan?"

"Hey, Half-Pint." He he said gently, studying her face in the dark._ 'Eyes still puffy._' He thought, holding in a sigh. "I know it's late, but Jean's on to something. And-" He continued sniffing, making it silently through her room.

"Something the matter?" Kitty asked, rubbing her eye.

"_Smelled something,_" He growled, making it onto the balcony. "One of those Acolytes." Kitty's blood ran cold_. 'Could he mean-'_

"Peter. _Whatever._ Why the fuck was he here?" He looked expectantly at her. If they had plans to force Kitty to help them, they would have to blow through him first. Just the thought made him lose touch with his humanity, that he had failed Rogue...

"Mr. _Logan?"_ Kitty's voice was quiet. He retracted his claws and turned to her, he'd almost given into the rage and it wouldn't have been productive.

"I'm here, Kit." She turned towards her window.

"I don't have, like, a pre-established _relationship_ with him... Or anything," He growled in response preemptively. "But I sense that... He is _not_ like the others. Not self serving, I don't know... I_ know_ it doesn't mean much..." She thought of his face when Magneto took Rogue. Definitely conflicted. "I feel like maybe he wanted to tell us something, but he couldn't." Logan sighed. Kitty always had time to see the good in people. He would die defending that.

"You think _too_ much of people, Half-Pint. Best thing about you, makes me worry though. Go get Elf up and get changed." He eyed their window, his fist curling. _'Get some more locks for that damn window...'_

_xxx_

Scott stared at the massive, War Room monitor and tried to make sense of the information Jean had found. She was constantly on Cerebro. It wasn't as bad at first, not until they realized from Fury the extent of Magneto's plans. Now, every waking moment was sent hoping, praying they used a power. Somewhere they could be found. Finally, clusters of mutant signatures began appearing near Calgary.

"The labs with the Weapon-X children," Logan sighed, Kitty beside him. Kurt's tail flicked anxiously, rubbing the shoulders of his X-Suit.

"So, Rogue is in_ Canada?_" Scott wrinkled his nose. He didn't want to get Kurt's hopes up, but he didn't want to show how little control they all had of the situation.

"Most likely, what Jean is finding are these secret, fanatical meetings _Magneto's_ been throwing." The blue mutant scratched his head in confusion. "Mutant pep rallies, I can already imagine..."

"So, vhat are all the _flares_ she's seeing?" It wasn't adding up. Everyone else seemed confused. Scott and Jean looked at each other helplessly.

"We think Magneto's getting the mutants in attendance to touch her." Logan explained tiredly. He knew Kurt was having a rough go of it, but he was an adult. And he considered the girl his sibling, he had to know. "Just _adding_ to her cache of abilities." He tacked on thickly. Kurt threw his hands on his head.

_"Vhat?_!" Kitty shook her head, short locks cut above her shoulders, now.

"Is he _crazy_?!" She screeched, her voice rising with every word.

"I know." Logan agreed. "He's completely lost it." He stood from the console abruptly. "We need a plan." His mind was equally torn in two over Rogue and the other children being experimented on and bred into killers_. 'I hope I can save you both.'_ His eyes landed on Laura, his shadow. She'd been few of words but always at his side. He knew he had practically reared Rogue, to see her in enemy hands was shredding him.

"Laura," Her eyes met his. "We need to talk."

* * *

He took the girl to the roof and explained what Nick had same to him. He'd assumed that she'd listened, but he wanted her to be_ sure._ To understand. _'They're like...'_ He couldn't bare to look at the blank look on her face. What could she say? Years had passed and she was still chasing normal. She always would be, just like him. "They're _hurtin',_ Laura. They're_ just_ like you."

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't want them," She said quickly, her eyes scanning the school grounds.

"They need our help." Logan insisted, determined to teach the girl real love and empathy.

"They can't be _helped._" He looked into the girl's dark eyes, pools of nothing. "They're broken. Like me." He inhaled.

"You are _not_ broken, Laura." He responded sharply. He took a breath and checked his tone. "They bent you, a lot._ All_ out of odds. Both of us." His eyes softened. "But we're_ not_ broken. And neither will they be, because we're gonna help them." Laura doesn't look convinced. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay for them, for_ us_ too."

"Will Rogue be broken?" The inside of Logan shattered like glass. They all knew it. The longer she spent feeling memories were hers, how long until they _were_? Would removing her become traumatic at some point? Will she forget her feelings? Will she always pine for the memories, her extraordinary powers. '_I can't doubt, not now. Rogue would want the truth. End of story.'_

"She'll be bent, too." He answered, his voice shaking. He looked wistfully over the campus. "Never broken."

* * *

The one eyed woman moved seamlessly through the crowd unnoticed. She pulled the fabric close to her. Night time in Canada was brutal, but she should've expected as much. Callisto used to spend her days in the sewers. That was, until her people were murdered. The Morlocks never picked a side in the eternal conflict. Those that were too old, too young, or had no offensive abilities hid underground. Out of sight.

And as if that wasn't bad enough, they were slaughtered down there by other mutants. The memories haunt her. She never sleeps more than an hour, if she could, she'd dream of revenge.

Still, it hurt the independent woman to hear of Xavier's demise. He had insisted on many occasions she and other Morlocks stay with him. They never accepted, but she never forgot. Now, to hear that Magneto is active, she knew she needed to investigate. With Charles dead, she knew big things were coming. All mutants knew. It was the humans who were in the dark. Charles was the only thing keeping Erik from doing a lot of things.

She stared up at the makeshift stage, carefully stacked scrap metal fashioned for the job. Up there stood Magneto, dressed in purple and red as always. He had no helmet, but curiously long hair. Beside him was a mutant of two toned hair, one she was certain was an X-Man. She began to feel uneasy. _'Storm would allow this?_' She thought in disapproval.

Behind them were more, shifty mutants she didn't recognize. "Charles Xavier is gone. But his dream, his _influence_ lives on." He looked into the eyes of scared, expecting mutants. People like him. "Together, we will outlast them all."

"Didn't Charles Xavier preach about peace,_ tolerance_?" Callisto stepped forward, removing her heard to reveal dark, disheveled hair. The crowd burst into an uproar as Magneto watched, Rogue anchored beside him. He held up a hand and the crowd became quiet.

"Dear, nobody knew better what Charles preached about than I." He answered evenly. He was aware of the bloodbath in the sewers, and he took it into consideration. Callisto crossed well toned arms and looked around her.

"Okay, tell us. What can you do that Charles couldn't?" She wouldn't let vulnerable mutants fall for his manipulation. The following smirk sent a chill down her spine. She hugged her cape closer. He placed a hand on Rogue's back and behind him, Remy glowered. Callisto eyed the girl, barely an adult and far too young to even be in league with Magneto.

"I have_ Legacy."_ He answered. Her cheeks were pink and flushed from the cold. Her (rapidly) growing hair becoming wavy, teasing the shoulders of her green Acolyte uniform. Remy had taken it upon himself to replace her makeup, her dark colors made no more sense. She left her lips bare, and her eyes shrouded in just a little mossy eye shadow. She looked like a different person, and thanks to Magneto, she _was._

"I don't think that's her_ name._" Callisto responded with hostility. Remy moved, like water to her side. Piotr was beside Magneto, both staring straight ahead.

"Then you are mistaken. You seem to think that I am in this for _myself_, not the millions of million mutant lives in need." The one eyed woman yawned.

"Mistaken? Good one." She leaned in close. Piotr moved to grudgingly intercept her, but the man moved his metal arm back. "You don't have a _selfless_ bone in your body. And if you think I don't recognize a _compromised_ person when I see one," She shared a long look at Rogue, then back at the man. "You are very, _very_ mistaken."

Now, it seemed Rogue's serenity had been broken. "Ah don't appreciate being referred to like Ah can't_ think_ for myself." She narrowed her eyes, examined Callisto. "Who the heck is she?" Her mouth hung open in disbelief.

"Wha-"

"She assumes to know me, and makes assumptions about you." Magneto explained, his face smug. "She is in league with the X-Men." Rogue's face became fearful. Callisto's heart dropped. _'Dear god, Erik. What have you done to the girl?'_ Remy watched in fascination as Rogue seemed afraid the mention of her old family._ 'Dis is getting too trippy...' _He thought, his expression glum. _'They'll just die when they see her and...'_ He stopped thinking, that was the only solution he'd found.

"She shouldn't be here." She says, her face grim like she doesn't want to fight. But she will. Callisto shook her head in shock.

_"Rogue,_ it's me. Callisto-" Piotr gripped her, a frown on his face.

"Escort her out and see to it she does not come back." Rogue watched grimly as he took her out of sight of the camp. Remy watched, almost in disbelief that Piotr listened. He thought about his sister in Russia and whistled. He made a note to steal something valuable pawn it for his sister's care._ 'He ain' like me, he don' deserve dis.'_ He tried to figure out how Callisto looked familiar, but something told him it was better if he didn't remember.

The lean woman struggled and thrashed against Piotr, all in vain as he dragged her away. Magneto looked back towards the crowd as if nothing had happened. "Legacy's ability is your ability. Show them." Rogue slowly took her hood down, looking at the massive group of mutants. People just like her. She hovered slowly, tree stumps forming in the ground into trees.

Then, it began to rain lightly. The ground shook as fireworks erupted behind her. "With just one touch, you are part of history. Part of the_ Legacy_ of mutantkind." He levitated his helmet in front of him. Soon, the sky was lit with bright purple beams coming from Rogue's hands. Remy watched, shocked by the beautiful display. It was almost as stunning as she was, illuminated in the air like some sort of angel.

Wings were on her back, Logan's bone claws on her hand. Pink tendrils glowing from her forehead. She really was like some mutant messiah. He had never seen anything like it, and Remy LeBeau had seen a lot. "Join me._ Touch_ her. Join in this fight, the one that Charles Xavier _died_ fighting." They all stared up at Rogue. They had all known and seen powerful mutants, but they'd never seen anything like this.

"Yes," Someone called out from the crowd. Remy and Magneto looked around, Pietro and Wanda behind them. "I'll do it." Someone reached a bare, dirty arm in the air.

"Me, _too_!" Another voice declared.

"Me!"

"I_ want_ to!"

Soon the crowd was shrieking, crying up to Rogue.

"Take it!"

"Touch me!"

"Legacy!" Remy watched in astonishment as the crowd of mutants kneeled. They got on their knees and bowed to both Rogue and Magneto. '_Dis is...'_ Rogue hovered, just watching as the they all cried for her. _'What... Why? Why me?'_

"They _need_ you, Anna." Magneto turned to her, noting how ravishing she looked in the moonlight. It was the first time he ever saw someone who looked like they should be beside him. Pietro looked the part, but he never acted it. Wanda was beautiful, but she never seemed like she wanted to be there. But Rogue, taking up the mantle of every mutant's powers she came across, it was perfect.

Remy noticed the stare Magneto was giving her, like she had all the answers. "Dey ready to transfer powers, boss." He added the boss in case he was annoyed he'd interrupted his admiring.

"Yes. Legacy, come. Let's get you fortified."


	5. Chapter 5

Logan had taken off into the forest first, Laura at his back. There were thousands of smells, hundreds of mutants in the area. But he was locked on to _her_ scent. It was the light at the end of the tunnel. He hadn't smelled her for almost two weeks, he wasn't losing her now. Laura's reaction confirmed, she was rushing forward like a drug dog. Desperate to find the scent before they lost it, again. Scott was flying in the Blackbird, cloaked and following Logan's tracker.

_'We have to get her,'_ He thought to himself, imagining the strain and stress on her psyche._ 'The longer he has her, the more traumatic it will be to get her home.'_ A growl rumbled in his throat as he thought about it, hoping this excursion would bring her back. Magneto wasn't going to make this easy, he already knew that. When he caught the magnetist's scent he paused, holding Laura back.

He had a few tricks up his sleeve, but she would not be coming to face him. She snarled at him, but he paid no mind.

"He controls _metal,_ Laura. Wait for the rest of the team to catch up." She glared at him, fear hiding beneath the disdain. She said with a look that she didn't know what she'd do without him. She was so lean, built like Kitty but with far more muscle. Always in black."I'll be _okay_, we've been going at this for a long time, him and I. You, not so much." She exhaled sharply. "I'll be fine." She didn't look like she believed him, but he tore off from her side anyways._ 'Forgive me...'_ He thought, holding on to Rogue's scent close.

The sun was starting to rise, they'd been at this for hours. _'Failure is not an option.'_ He thought, holding his fists curled tight. He paused, glowing cards rocketing through the trees at him. Silently, he soared out of the way, the cards causing explosions. Logan frowned, his claws shooting out._ "Gambit."_ The agile man appeared, his staff held tightly behind him. He reeked of Rogue. And Magneto. He scraped his claws together slowly. "You get _one_ chance to tell me where she is." He had been waiting a long time for this, since he'd stolen her to New Orleans.

Poor kid almost looked like he considered it, he made a face the older man couldn't decipher. He just said nothing, standing there with cards in his hands he didn't look like he intended to throw. _"Gambit,"_ Blindspot hissed behind him, staring at the wild man in his all black X-Suit. He grudgingly threw more cards, right in time as Piotr and Magneto appeared. The man threw the Russian like a projectile, nearly colliding with Logan. Remy tossed more cards after him, his face serious.

He rolled out of the way, wondering if his claws would cut his steel. Piotr stood grim faced. He almost saw the melancholy Kitty had spoken of. He didn't seem pleased to be back in League with Erik._ 'What does he have on him...'_ He wondered, the professor had almost convinced the man to join them. Then he went to Russia, and came back now.

He stood like a brick wall in front of Logan. He turned to the sky and there she was, draped in a hood like emerald. The girl was painted in green in a suit he'd never seen before. Her hair was starting to look long, wavy wisps framing her face to almost look like a stranger. Different makeup too, less. He had never seen her look older, more mature, wise. She had the weight of the world behind her eyes, now.

His breath hitched painfully as their eyes locked. He had never seen her look at him like this, not even in his worse rage. Not even when he nearly _killed_ himself in the Danger Room the night the professor died. But now, she looked_ afraid._ Like she was steeling her resolve to face him. _'Is she... Afraid of me?'_ It hurt, like a thousand cuts being made and healing again.

He almost backed away as she hovered there. He could tell from her posture and body language that she was uncomfortable. Memories flashed in Rogue's mind, the man haunting her. Chasing after her, blood shining on his claws. Laughing like he couldn't wait to gut her. Running, and running, chasing her when she was little more than a child. A fear that nothing i ever going to measure up to. He watched her swallow an emotion, blink back tears in her eyes. "You _can't_ pick on me." She declared. Logan's stare landed on Magneto, who wouldn't even meet his eyes.

_"I knew it."_ He breathed.

"Ah'll only ask_ once_." The ground rose to meet her in the air, fire and water appearing at her fingertips. Logan felt himself grow cold as he watched._ 'He did something to her powers...'_ Lightning crackled in the sky above them. The hairs on the back of his neck began to raise as he felt how much power Rogue was in control of._ 'This won't last long, Magneto has no idea what he's doin'._' "Leave us. X-Men are not welcome."

"They've twisted your head around, _Rogue-_"

"Who's Rogue?!" She shot back quickly, like the name had been on her mind as well. "Ah'm _Legacy."_ The knife in his heart twisted. The mutant Jean described had done an impeccable job rearranging and changing her memories. She spoke with such conviction. Such_ certainty_. It was killing the man to witness. _'What if we can't get her back?'_ Just the thought feels like a gut punch.

"This ain't your fault. We're gonna help you._ I promise_." He stared into her eyes, even if they didn't trust him now, they were still hers

"Gambit." Magneto pointed ahead. Remy frowned as he jumped forward, his staff swinging wildly. With a frustrated scream, Logan's claws collided with the metal. The sound rang throughout the forest, the sun's rays reaching over the trees. They're both shocked when the staff doesn't fall into two pieces. Remy smirks.

"Dey bof' adamantium," He explained, gesturing towards Magneto. "Gift from _boss_-" Logan swung again and Remy blocked, his claws uncomfortably close to his head. "_Merde_..." He muttered under his breath. He grabbed a handful of cards to toss but Logan was relentless, desperate. He tackled Remy successfully and he slammed to the ground his claws raised.

Rogue gasped, but Logan found himself unable to finish the blow. "Wha..." Magneto's eyes were yellow. In another second, he was sent barreling through the grass. Remy was on his feet quickly, hoping the slip up didn't compromise growing in his good graces. Logan climbed to his feet, his body wracked with pain.

"This is futile." Magneto sighed, sounding almost bored. "Why would they send only _you_-" An optic blast broke into the clearing, launching right into Remy's face. He hit the ground with a scream, and before Magneto could stop her, Rogue flew to his side.

_"REMY-_" She cried. Jean and Scott fell in line beside Logan, their faces intense

"Where is that rat? I've got something else for him," Scott snarled, preparing to take his visor off completely. Jean wanted to say something, but as she watched Rogue rush to his side, she wasn't sure what. Kitty and Kurt ported in next, both exclaiming when Rogue was sighted. Bobby, Amara, and Jaime all slid into the clearing on ice, interrupting the tense meeting. Laura fell beside Logan's side, spitting like a cat.

"You were_ saying?_" Logan sneered, wiping his face. Rogue tugged frantically on Remy but he wouldn't rise.

"Can't see, _petite._.." He mumbled, his hand stuck to his face. _'Remy fucked, what he do?' _The trails of light in his vision faded to darkness. Magneto rocketed forward, both Laura and Logan's frames going taut. He clutched instinctively to Rogue, unable to see anything else. Rogue frowned with effort, gently prying his hand free with telekinesis. His face looked as though soot had been thrown on it. Rogue felt she should know how dire those blasts could be, how they could hurt with a direct shot to the face. She shook of the feeling.

"R-Remy, hold on." Her breaths quickened as she thought about one of her closest allies being blinded. Suddenly, he was covered in a bright light. Everyone in the clearing watched in shock and with baited breath.

"She think's_ their_ her allies and _we're_ the bad guys." Logan's chilling stare landed on Magneto. "She's terrified of me. He's filled her head with all sorts of elaborative _nonsense_." Jean felt her fist curl. _'I wish I could help undo it, but the way she seems so convinced I'm scared of harming her. And he knew I wouldn't risk it, not the way he has.'_

Remy gasped when he felt his wounds heal. The burning, seering pain dissipated. Slowly, his eyes adjusted and he could see again. He stared at Rogue, grabbing her gloved hand before he thought better of it. He'd never met a mutant who could _heal._ Such a mutant would have wars fought over them. He stared into her face, so strange and familiar at the same time. "Ya_ healed_ me..." He shuddered.

He jumped to his feet in front of her when Logan snarled angrily. He held his staff, mindful of Scott's blasts now. The X-Men stared in shock.

"Wh-What's_ wrong_ with her?!" Kitty cried, growing hysterical. Jean pressed her lips together. It was so much worse than everyone thought, watching her gaze lovingly at Gambit.

"It looks like she did a_ convincing_ job replacing her memories, Kitty." She answered solemnly.

"Blindspot would _never_ touch mah memories," Rogue hissed, rising to her feet behind Remy. "Not_ ever._" The slender girl came beside her as if to prove the point. They watched in horror as she placed a hand on Rogue's face and she didn't flinch.

_"H-How?!_" Kurt cried in disbelief. Blindspot smirked.

"Does she seem unhappy? In distress to _you?_" Magneto boomed from the sky. Logan looked at both Remy and Piotr's faces closely. They did not seem as enthusiastic as he or Blindspot did._ 'Maybe Katherine was right, if they're weak... We can flip them.'_ He stared hard at Magneto._ 'He's the only one who wants this.'_

"What you're doing is wrong, Magneto. If a human did it-" Jean tried, but she found herself nearly slammed with a plate of metal. Scott shot it away from her with a cry, seething. She turned back to the older mutant in disbelief.

"Do not compare me to humans,_ girl_." Was all he said as he rose higher in the sky. "Legacy," He snapped. He did not want her near the X-Men any longer, they would put undue stress on her mind. "Come, we must go."

She turned fearfully towards the X-Men. "We_ can't_ let her go!" Scott cried, hating the thought of apprehending his own teammate. _'Magneto's in her head, she doesn't know what's what_.' But her fear and anger would be real. He had put them all in an impossible situation.

Kurt and Kitty were edging forward slowly, the mutants closing in on Remy and Rogue.

_"Anna!"_ Magneto shouted, making Logan's blood feel like ice water.

"_What did you just call her-"_

"ALERT, MUTANTS SPOTTED." All of the mutants ducked down defensively. In the shadows of the trees, men in all black and camo were closing in. Fast. They couldn't tell if those guns shot bullets, or mutant cures, or nets but they did not want to find out. Logan looked at Rogue, Magneto, and then the men closing in. _'I can't protect her from this is she doesn't know who I am.' _

"Fall back," He began reluctantly, pushing Laura back. "Fall back! There's too many of them-"

"But what about-"

"I _know,_ Scott." He bit back through clenched teeth. But soon, they would be digging graves or making many more rescue missions. Magneto groaned, tugging a fist and pulling the weapons from their grasp. But not all of them. Bullets rang out. Nets flying everywhere. "FALL BACK," Logan screamed, dragging Kitty and Bobby with him, away from the bullets. Kurt ported and grabbed Jean and Scott out of the way of weapons.

Jaime's plan of making clones to confuse them worked for a few seconds, until they caught the real him. His clones disappeared as everyone realized he'd been captured.

_"JAIME,"_ Scott screamed, reaching out and Jean held him back from getting himself killed. "Jaime, NO!"

"NO," Logan roared, using his claws to slice through a net hurdling at him and Laura. "MADROX,_ HANG ON!_" Rogue looked around in the chaos, Remy doing his best to protect her from the nets. He spun his staff, sweat dripping down his brow. Rogue didn't know why, but this all felt strangely familiar. And even though the X-Men were her enemies, she found she couldn't bare to watch mutants be captured by the government. To be experimented on.

Remy began yelling when she rose to the air. _"Legacy-_" With a swift movement, Rogue ripped the net from Jaime. He stood and looked around in shock, Logan rushing to his side. Another net captured Kitty when her back was turned, but Rogue destroyed that one as well.

"They're our_ enemies!"_ Magneto hissed angrily, annoyed that Blindspot hadn't kept her heroic tendencies at bay.

"They're mutants_ first_!" She told him, her look firm. "Nobody deserves to be shipped off to some lab, not even _them._" He felt so exasperated as he stared into her eyes. So headstrong, so sure_. 'Weren't we all at that age?'_ He mused, noticing how his children's late mother had been exactly the same. He had to admire her, nobody usually had the balls to stick up to him.

He said nothing as she erected a barrier of rock, blocking the mutants from their weapons. "Let us go." Magneto insisted. Rogue nodded and flew to Remy, grabbing him and lifting Piotr with his magnesis. Jean reached forward in vain, trying to halt her with telekinesis. She found her unable to be moved.

"I.. I think she's absorbed someone who's immune to telepathy and telekinesis." She said, her chest swirling with fear. "It's not _working._" Logan shook his head, hearing the rising panic in Jean's voice.

"No..." Kurt took a deep breath and teleported, getting as close to Rogue as he could. Magneto smacked him away with a bar of metal, his face pinched. He tumbled back into Kitty and Scott's arms. "No! _Vhy her?_"

_"Now_, Anna." Rogue nodded, looking around and teleporting everyone in a flash.

"NO," Logan screamed, chasing after the air. "She was right_ there_... She..." He fell to his knees and gripped the grass tight in his hands. He couldn't bring himself to say it, but they were all thinking it. _'What if we don't get another chance?'_ He plunged his claws into the soil, unsure what else to do. It was exactly what he'd feared. They'd missed their chance. Rogue not only didn't recognize him, she was afraid of him. He didn't want to know what Magneto had her think of him. Of all of them.

He almost jerked when he felt a tiny hand on his back.

It was only Kitty, Jaime standing dumbly beside her. He covered her hand with her own, an unbelievably distraught expression in both their eyes.

* * *

Remy watched, his arms folded as Rogue laid still beneath Blindspot's touch. She'd collapsed as soon as they arrived back on Muir island. Magneto was furious, but not for Sam's oversight or incompetence. It seemed to be due to Rogue's compromised health. He'd rushed to where she'd fallen and scooped her, before Remy could even get there.

He stood in the corner of the room, watching. Stewing in silence. He had so much he wanted to say. But couldn't._ Wouldn't._ But the girl was suffering, and it was all he could think about. He could see the duality in this woman she'd become and the woman she was. Her memories. On an intuitive level, she didn't believe the narrative her own memories told her. That's how much she felt.

_'Can't keep dis up forever...'_ He thought, staring at her sweat mobbed forehead. Silver, curly strands clung to it as she slept, silently. Even Blindspot was working a sweat. She had never worked so hard or so frequently since being employed by Magneto. He stared unflinchingly as she worked._ 'She has the echoes of people's memories and their feelings. No matter what I show her, she feels that.'_

She sighed as she continued working, trying to smooth over her conflicting memories. "The Wolverine is a point of contention for your work." Magneto answered lowly from the back of the room. His arms were crossed, his expression dull. If Remy didn't know any better, he'd swear Magneto felt... Bad. He didn't seem as pleased as he had been the past couple of days. "She will be... Alright?"

Piotr sighed beside Remy, he didn't much believe it, either. If Magneto had cared at all, he wouldn't have done this. Remy shifted his attention back onto Rogue's still face.

"Yes, after a rest she should be fine." Blindspot answered, brushing some hair out of her face. God, Remy was jealous of her mutation. He would swap bodies permanently just to be able to feel Rogue's touch. To feel what her skin actually feels like, without the drain. The girls were often touching. It seemed to give Rogue great comfort, and he couldn't blame her. The way Sam was so gentle and careful with her touch, he was starting to think she felt the same way.

_'What ya thinkin', anyways..'_ He was betraying her, he didn't get to have feelings. He sighed, catching the Russian's attention.

"They are onto us." Magneto announced, his brow furrowed in though. "We will train a few days, then I will send half of us to make a distraction. And the rest of us will be completing our objective. Rogue will free the children, and thus will mark the beginning." Metal swirled around him as he spoke, catching both mutant's eyes. "The beginning of the end. For humans. I'll have Mystique here for when she wakes." His dear friend's face flashed in his mind and he walked away.

Remy felt sour at the mention of the shapeshifter. She had no place near Rogue, even he knew that.

* * *

"I don't know if we should split up." Scott felt like his brain was being pulled in a hundred different directions. He was worried for his teammate, missing and abused by their arch nemesis. For his school that was without Charles Xavier. For his girlfriend acting as the resident telepath, tethered to Cerebro, working herself _entirely_ too hard.

All they had was each other. The team, the kids, and Logan. He could see how hard this was on him. Rogue was missing, terrified of all of them, and hoping they never took her away. It was becoming almost too much to bare. Kurt spent his time at the institute in exile, waiting to hear news. Kitty moved her bed into Jean's room, unable to bare sleeping alone any longer.

Jaime and some of the younger kids were acting out. This was getting difficult for everybody. And what they were doing wasn't working.

"He's got Rogue in a heightened state." Logan said carefully, his voice low. "Between that_ and_ his powers, it's too dangerous. They knew we were coming. One of us tracking-"

"Is not a good idea, for_ you._" Ororo insisted, her eyes worried. "Please, don't tempt Erik to-"

"I _ain't_ afraid of him, 'Ro." He sighs when it comes out harsher than intended. "I'm afraid for _Rogue._ What he's doing to her, what the lasting affects will be..." He snarled, scrubbing a hand over his face. The more he thought it out, fixated about it, the worse he felt. She could be a completely different person after this. Forever. Rogue was doomed, unless they did something. And fast. He turned back to Scott. "You been more the ready to lead-"

"It's not that..." Despite being an adult, Scott's cheeks flushed scarlet. "It just feels like without you with us, or on mission-"

"The school, the team... We will be left open." Jean filtered gently. She didn't want to be separate from the man either, but things had become desperate a long time ago. Jean had kept her attempts to read the girl's mind to herself. She saw no difference in the memories Blindspot made and organic memories. Her findings were troubling to say the least, she wasn't sure anyone could handle it.

Logan sighed. It wasn't like the professor would be at home holding down the fort. He understood Scott's apprehension. But he had a much larger chance of getting Rogue or breaking through to her on his own. Beneath the fear and repulsion, he saw something. She _knew_ something wasn't right. "You've still got Hank, Ororo, and Warren. Don't forget. I'm not just abandoning you, I'm trying to get Rogue back anyway I know how." Scott nodded, sparing a moment to think of her alone with Magneto.

His posture deflated. "Besides, Laura and I have an idea." Scott looked between the man and his clone.

"An_ idea_?"

"Yep," Logan chewed a cigar in his mouth. "Thinking Magneto might be vain enough to accept her as a follower." The X-Men's leader paled, Ororo also growing very nervous in the parlor room.

"Logan, are you sure?_ She's covered in metal.._." She forced herself not to consider the morbid outcome.

"Rogue would never let that happen." He answered casually. "She _rescued_ Jaime. Magneto tried to craft the perfect little servant, Rogue is loyal to_ mutants_. Not him. He won't shred Laura, and with her nature, he might be shallow enough to buy it." A frown tugged at the weather goddess' face. All of a sudden, it seemed like an idea struck Jean. Her whole face lit up as she seemed to pose a question to the girl.

Laura growled out of instinct. She hated psychics, she _never_ wanted people in her head. Then she seemed to shrug, a strange look on her face. She raised her fist, and before anyone could stop her claws flew out. The metal grazed Jean's supple skin. The telepath hissed in pain as Scott and Logan both screamed. It was a small cut, but it bled. The blood spilled over her claws.

Logan grabbed Laura harder than he'd ever remembered, Scott yanking her back. "No, Laura! Never inside. _Never_ against a..." He frowned when he saw Jean smile.

"_Jean?"_ Scott tried, examining her arm.

"Now, Creed can smell that on her." She looked between Scott and Logan as Ororo began wrapping her arm. "He'll believe it and allow her to follow." Laura nodded, not really phased by the event. Logan released her hand when he realized Jean prompted her to do so telepathically._ 'Smart,'_ He thought, wrinkling his nose at the scent. He never wanted to smell Jean's blood.

"Ready, Kid?" She nodded mutely, her eyes scanning over the others.

"Please,_ be safe_." Ororo pleaded, her hands gripping Logan tight. Scott and Jean nodded behind her.

"Hold things down, Scott. Help him, Red." With that he and Laura turned and headed out the door.

* * *

Rogue took a minute to gather her thoughts, so many different memories and lives trapped inside her head. Abilities, too. After a pause, majestic angel wings spread on her back, through her uniform. She had traded her cape her a long, green tunic and matching pants. Around her neck, and dangling above her bust was a perfectly white scarf. Magneto couldn't tell why, but he found it extremely flattering on her.

He found almost_ everything_ flattering on her. She had her hair pulled back in a low ponytail, leaving a perfect neck exposed. He forced himself to focus on her face. The pink halo enveloped her head again. Then, her skin was iron. He raised a hand, white hair jostling. Metal shapes flew towards Rogue. Using her own grasp on magnetism, she pushed them aside.

She chewed her lip. Joseph used to smile all the time. She had so many_ memories_ laughing with him, but he always looked worried, now. Stressed. '_Why do Ah want to see you smile? More than anything...'_ It always felt like something was missing. Was it that? She held her hands forward and blasted the metal away from her.

She tried to shake the strange man's snarling face from her mind. His face, so full of rage. So evil. _'But he didn't look at me like that, then...'_

"Legacy!" Magneto's cry ripped her from her day dream, a massive sphere hurdling towards her. It clanged as it struck her iron skin. She screamed, her skin returning to normal as she sailed out of the air. Magneto flew quickly, Remy already off his feet. Rogue landed perfectly in his arms, the man staring down at her. "Are you_ alright_?" He exhaled when she opened her eyes.

"Fine, sorry. Ah'll work harder." He set her down and shook his head.

"You did just_ fine_. Let us make sure you are alright." Erik sighed. Like it was the most natural thing in the world, he grabbed her hand and tugged her so he could examine her closer. Remy couldn't fight the jealousy blossoming deep in his gut. He didn't know why he felt that, of all things. He had been fighting it for days but he hated watching him touch her, dote on her. It felt wrong, and if she were aware, her skin would be crawling.

With a gentleness Remy wouldn't have thought possible, Magneto lifted Rogue's chin delicately and peered in her face. When she passed his bill of approval, he released her. Smiling. Smiling? Magneto never smiled. And she was smiling back, with a look of belonging that he never saw her with otherwise. _'Non...'_ He didn't know what was going on, but this memory business was going south. Fast.

"Gambit," He was ripped from his thoughts suddenly. "Fetch Anna some water. She's been training all day." He shuffled awkwardly towards the door, his face flushed. He couldn't be bothered with why it bothered him. All he knew is that it did. He exited the training room grumbling, running smack into Piotr. The poor guy look troubled as well, his brow furrowed in knots.

"Pete..." Remy murmured, lost in thought.

"Remy," He looked up when the Russian addressed him. "We need to talk." He kept his face as blank as he could, but deep down he knew that Piotr was right. He sighed, his eyes focused on something else.

"Wha'dya mean?"


	6. Chapter 6

Remy let his eyes roll, really wanting to change out of his uniform. He was tired, and Magneto thought Anna needed water._ 'Anna...'_ He sighed bitterly, facing Piotr. "Not much fo' talkin',_ Pete._" The Russian frowned, following him anyways.

"That is why we need talk." He explained innocently, his fingers tapping together. Piotr looked like he could smash a watermelon with just his fingertips. "Talk about what we will do." Remy's face twisted in confusion.

"Will _do?"_ He asked quickly, moving around the large man. "What _who_ will do?"

"We. Piotr has seen face." This stopped Remy. He hoped Piotr was oblivious and not being polite about Remy's darkening mood. He hadn't really been hiding it, assuming the man had other things to worry about. Clearly, he had been wrong. "You do not like what is being done to_ Anna Marie._" He said, his eyes somber. Remy's stare dropped.

"Don't assume, Peter. Make'a ass outta you 'an me." Piotr huffed.

"Gambit, I _know_ so. Even Wanda and Pietro don't like it." Remy jammed his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "You look as if want to do _something_." He sucked his teeth in annoyance. _'When Remy get so obvious...'_

"Remy don' know about all dat," He lied, now anxiously shuffling his deck. "But he not fond of it,_ non."_ Piotr nodded, finally getting somewhere.

"What should we do?" He asked breathlessly, his voice a whisper. Remy's stare hardened as he poured the water from the filtered container.

_"Nothin'._" He met his stare. "If ya wanna live, dat is." Piotr looked absolutely crestfallen at Remy's response. "Peter, we ain't got enough_ juice_ to take him on. 'Specially wit de girl by his side." His stare dropped to the ground again, thinking about his words. "It ain' right, but we didn' get hired to have opinions. We here to work. Remy_ hate_ to think about what he'd do t'ya."

He looked seriously into the man's eyes. Remy wasn't sure if he'd call him a friend, but he was fond of the guy. He was dependable. A good guy Remy knew he could count on if he needed to. He didn't want to see him destroyed by the likes of Magneto. "It does not feel right." The Russian admitted quietly. What they were allowing went against everything he was taught. Believed in. He already knew all the risks, the reasons he should keep his mouth shut. It wasn't helping.

Remy gripped his cards tightly as his only response. "Be smart, Piotr. Illyan-" Remy smashed into the wall suddenly, his mouth open in shock.

_"Do not mention my sister,_" Piotr's voice is as cold as his iron skin. _"Do not make me regret ever telling you about her._" With those demands, he released him. Remy straightened his coat out, his face red.

"Jus' makin' a point, _mon am_i." He snarled, exhaling when Piotr's skin became normal.

"I cannot do anything, _for_ those reasons. I hate the helpless feeling. That is why I ask _you_." Realization washed over Remy's face. "You do not _have_ any affairs. You can do something, help he-"

"No, Piotr. Bad idea. We already too complicit in dis. Wanna be locked up by_ de X-Men_? Huh? Das what Remy thought." Piotr's face flushed. He had a point, Gambit vs. Magneto was outmatched. But he didn't know what else to do. He could tell the cajun was disturbed by it as well. '_Why won't he just help.'_ He thought in exasperation_. 'Nobody did anything alone.'_

"I just thought..."

"Don' you think I woulda _done_ it? If it'd work?" He admitted finally, his stare on the wall. Without another word he left Piotr's side to grudgingly deliver the water. He dropped the glass off as he was asked and made himself scarce from Magneto's office. His head was swimming. Rogue wasn't the only one getting messed up by Blindspot's memories. He rubbed his head, lost in thought. He had a lot on his mind. That's when he felt it, a presence. Someone was skulking around the base.

His staff extended silently and he crept, making himself melt into the darkness. He peered through a window to see a slender, feminine form. Juvenile. He frowned when Creed made his way over, noticing the movement himself. He sniffed and chuckled to himself, opening a door before Remy could do anything. The little Wolverine was standing right outside the door, unafraid.

Remy cocked an eyebrow. "Boss," He called inside. Sabretooth cracked his knuckles. This one reeked of Logan, and his favorite past time was fucking with him. Remy caught the blood thirsty look and swallowed. He wasn't a great guy, but he wasn't in the business of watching little girls get slaughtered.

"Hey_ minou,_ Muir may not great place for ya." He pressed, eyeing his partner wearily. She seemed unaffected by his words.

"Ain'tcha an_ X-Girl?_" Sabretooth teased, studying her for a weakness. If she had any, he wasn't sensing them.

"Was." She corrected, glaring into his feline like eyes._ 'Was?_' Remy thought. He didn't buy it, not for one second.

"Ya left?" He questioned, and she nodded. Sabretooth sniffed again, a bit more delicately.

"Wait a min, she_ smells._.." He began. "She smells of blood. The red haired girl." Remy paled. '_Did.. Did she kill that telepath?_' If so, they may have actually exiled her. He began to feel uneasy although she was just a tiny girl. She shrugged.

"We fought. I don't want to do things their way." Sabretooth crossed his arms in amusement.

"Well, look at _this_ little badass..." He growled, intrigued that he smelled no fear. "Magneto should see-"

"He is already here." Rogue stood beside him as he studied the girl, curious how she'd ended up at his base. "You are Logan's clone? I sense the same... _Metal frame._" Her stare is piercing and locked on the magnet mutant. Slowly, she nodded her head up and down. "Why are you here, girl?" Rogue studied her, wondering why that nagging deja vu seemed to be back.

"I don't belong there. I am not... Like_ them_." Magneto studied her for a long time before speaking. She did seem harder than the other X-Men. He turned to Rogue, his gaze solemn.

"What was done to her is being done to the children in that lab." He explained. Rogue took in a shuddered breath. As if on cue, Laura unsheathed her claws, demonstrating the lethal experimentation. Rogue covered her mouth in horror. Her claws looked like metal, and she didn't want to think about how much else of her might be.

"Oh my god..." She whispered.

"They are created as killing machines." There's a curious glint in Magneto's eyes that gives her chill.

"You _want_ this runt?" Sabretooth sounds like he can't believe it. Laura growled in his direction and he laughed.

"You said you smell blood?" He questioned, eyeing her intently. Sabretooth nodded, eyeing his employer closely.

"The psychic's." Magneto nodded.

"She can stay. If she's a mole, I'm sure I can figure_ something_ to do with her." Rogue felt queasy, hoping he hadn't insinuated what she thought he had. The Joseph in her memories did not seem capable of something some vile or disgusting. The girl did not seem worried about his thinly veiled threat, her eyes were anchored on Rogue.

Remy began to have a terrible feeling. He didn't know why he felt for the young girl, clearly tortured and experimented on. But he knew if she stuck around Magneto too long, she would suffer an awful fate. Terrible._ 'Gotta do somethin' about this...'_ He thought, hoping her adamantium stayed on her skeleton. He watched as Magneto turned.

"Gambit, keep an eye on..."

"Laura." She filled in, her eyes on the magnet mutant. He didn't know it, but she was estimating ,how many seconds it would take her to sneak attack him. Her probability was decent, but she couldn't risk it with such a delicate objective. Sabretooth snarled, following after him. Remy and Laura remained.

_"Merde,_" The cajun whispered. When Sabretooth and Rogue disappeared with Magneto, she turned to face him. He felt a little uncomfortable knowing the girl could probably kill him in a couple of seconds. He shifted on his feet, eyeing her. It was kind of brilliant, breeding killer kids. A lot of people didn't have it in them to harm children. He began to wonder if he did. "Dis a bad idea,_ petite."_

She didn't flinch when he spoke. "Did you know he would do this?" He drops his eyes when she finally speaks. "To her?" He flicked the cards in his hands.

"He'll do it." He looked into her eyes, red and black irises staring. "If he senses ya _spyin_'..." Remy moved forward, flexing his charm as to still the girl. '_Need to prove a point.'_ He thought, thinking of the increasingly more crazed look in his eyes. "Dat you'll betray him..." He smirked, and the girl began to growl. "He rip your skeleton off wit'out thinkin' _twice_." She inhaled.

"Like to see him try." She answered, taking a page from Logan's book. _'Don't let anyone in there intimidate you, Laura. You got this.'_ He'd said. She stared back hard into Remy's eyes.

Remy couldn't help but chuckle. "Look," His eyes became serious. "Remy don't want de order to come down that Ah need to take care of you." He shook his head. "Run, run back to Logan. If _Ah_ see through ya plan, it didn't work." Her heart began hammering. He had a point, she didn't feel good about Magneto's reaction, either. The man was too clever. And he had a huge advantage over her.

_'If you don't feel good about this, you hightail it. I mean it, runt.'_ Laura didn't feel good about it, but she didn't want to disappoint Logan. He was closer than a guardian or a father, she was_ cloned_ from him. Created. Him being in pain over Rogue put her in pain, but she found her heavily guarded. And his henchmen suspicious.

"Go, petite. Wit ya skeleton._ Go'on._" He stepped forward and she stepped back. "He ain' gonna hurt Rogue." Their eyes met again, a strange look on Remy's face. _'Not on purpose...'_ "He need her." She wrinkled her nose, not impressed by Remy's words. Before she thought better of it, she hopped out of an open window and ran outside.

Remy exhaled after a while, leaning against the door. At least one catastrophe had been avoided._ 'For now,'_ He mused, staring into the darkness after her.

* * *

_"Witnesses are reporting power outages, car accidents, fires and more. Structural damage in at least a dozen building in the Business District have been sighted. Downtown Bayville is a disaster area. Only mutants can be suspected of these supernatural events. Police on the scene have said their weapons are malfunctioning or disappearing all together. This situation is escalating quickly, and-" _

Hank rubbed his head while the T.V blared. "That's _Wanda._ I recognize that magic anywhere." He rubbed his face, Ororo beside him. He had felt so tired since Xavier's passing. They all had. Nobody slept well or often. He gazed tiredly around the room.

"Allow me to accompany you." She said, her gaze on Scott firm. "It's been a while." He gave a dry smile.

"Always." He hit a button on his communicator that would notify the whole team. "Let's get moving, we've got Wanda and Pietro downtown. No sign of Rogue." Jean sighed in her room.

"Copy."

_xxx_

The question was on everyone's mind. _'What if Wanda just hexes us all, again?'_ Nobody had good memories of the last time she'd appeared. She'd hexed them all and the Acolytes stole Rogue. Jean was feeling confident that wouldn't happen again._ 'Not this time!'_ She thought. She had a theory that she'd been dying to test out. "No time like the present." Jean said as the X-Jet landed. Scott gripped her hand.

"Stay sharp." He ordered, his jaw clenched. He didn't want to see anything happen to anyone else. The team spilled out of the jet, both Ororo and Jean taking to the sky. Warren flew behind him, his eyes prying for the scarlet witch. "You guys, stay-" Scott sighed as Jean took off immediately after Magneto's daughter. "B-But-" Pietro zipped in front of him.

"Listen, I'm really not trying to d-" Scott didn't wait for him to finish, firing an optic blast mid sentence. It collided into him with a sizzle.

"I finally learned..." Scott murmured, turning to the sky as Kurt stood beside him. Jean was facing off with Wanda.

"Look, my father sent me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here." Wanda tried to explain, her hands glowing red. She had expected the X-Men to be angry. Jean just shook her head.

"Not here for apologies, Wanda." Before Wanda could react, a blind fold levitated behind Jean. It flew quickly towards Wanda, wrapping round her face tight. _'What?!'_ Her red energy fizzled and crackled on her hands, but nothing was happening. "Just like I thought. I _knew_ you needed sight to hex things, some sort of general idea!" She pointed a finger while Wanda screamed.

She tugged at the material but it was stuck, completely fastened._ 'She's holding it there...'_ She flailed furiously. _"You bitch_, get this off now!" She squealed in panic, the claustrophobia closing in. "JEAN,"

"No, Wanda. It's time for a time out." The pink flare of her power swelled and slammed into her, sending her crashing into the ground. Hard. Moments after the sirens were heard, along with the military tanks. Jean watched for a moment before hovering back towards the team. "Imagining me isn't good enough, is it?"

"Vhat's gonna happen to them?" Kurt questioned, scratching his head. They all knew what military personnel on the scene meant.

Scott scoffed. "I'm not sticking around to find out, come on." He watched in silence as Pietro and Wanda were detained. "Let's get in touch with Logan and rendezvous."

* * *

Remy was waiting for her when Magneto's curious metal sphere landed, with her inside. He helped her out even though she could hover, his eyes searching the sky for Magneto. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly their hands fit as he helped her step down. _'Keep it together, boy...'_ When he noticed her shiver he shrugged out of his trench coat. She watched him as he draped it around her, already warm from his body heat.

"Remy-"

"Y'cold,_ chére."_ Remy insisted with a laugh._ 'Still stubborn._' Rogue sighed and pulled it tighter around herself. She was a southern girl, she could barely adjust to New York's cold, much less Canada's. She shivered, too proud to admit she was cold. He tucked some of her silver hair out of her eyes, his glove tickling her face. He was savoring the moment when he heard Magneto float over head. He steeled his face, taking care to stand anchored at Rogue's side. He approached them both, long silvery hair flowing in the breeze.

"It is time." He began, his gaze focused on Rogue. "Others see a semi-frozen tundra. But I, I see the _truth_." He gestured ahead of them. "Tomorrow, Legacy, you'll help me show it. The children will be free." Her face became troubled.

"Those poor children. _How_ can they..." She shook her head, overcome with emotion. It felt so _personal_ somehow. Remy sniffed when Magneto wiped a tear away with his gloved hand.

"I know. They will serve their purpose, Anna. Just not in the way these monsters intended." She watched as he clutched The New Orleans native glowered when Mystique slithered from the shadows, donned in black. He knew she was profiting handsomely from Rogue's memories being altered. _'Only way she can forget how much she resent her...'_ He thought to himself.

Rogue smiled immediately, flying through the air to her. "Mama!" She exclaimed, clasping hands. Mystique grinned.

"Daughter." Remy averted his eyes to the ground, his face blank._ 'Dis is jus' a nightmare...'_ "You look well, good. _Exactly_ what I want to see." Her gaze turned to her long time employer and adversary. "I see you've taken care of her." She left the 'better than your own children' hanging in the air. Magneto found offense, anyway.

"Of course I did." He responded thickly, his eyes sharp. "She's the _most_ important piece of my plan." For some reason, as he says it, it doesn't feel like the truth. Remy didn't think he was telling the truth, either. "Without her, mutants would be hopeless. Lost." He approached her and placed a hand on her back. Remy watched, awkwardly off on his own. "She is our messiah, our legacy." Mystique smirked with approval.

"For once, we agree on something."

_xx_

Morning came fast. Remy felt like there were rocks settled in his stomach. He found himself missing Piotr's company with only Magneto, Mystique, and an altered Rogue around. Rogue wasn't the problem, though. She was_ too_ sweet._ Too_ trusting. _Too_ open, he already cared too much about how she was being manipulated. What was he supposed to do? But, if he stayed away that would alert her something was wrong. It all felt hopeless.

When he made it out of his tent, Rogue was already dressed in that damn hood. He hated himself for admiring her, admiring her in something _Erik Lensherr_ had wanted to see her wear. But how could he help himself? The girl looked good in everything. She smiled when she noticed him looking at her. He just burned under her stare, wondering what it'd be like to have had a friend like her.

"How ya feelin'?" She gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Pretty fine." She lied. She was nervous about rescuing the children. Magneto had explained to her what they'd been through. Tortured. Bred. Cloned. Stripped of their humanity. Grown in test tubes, made like cultures. Test subjects. Knowing pain before the human touch. Before _love_. Their muscles sliced off and carved. Metal alloys poured onto their skeletons. They were built to be weapons, it was barbaric.

For some reason, Rogue knew _exactly_ what that felt like. Her eyes began to glow an ominous white. Remy frowned when the sky suddenly went back, thunder crashing over them. The winds picked up and soon, he felt rain. He began to feel uneasy._ "Chére_..." He reached out for her when she hovered in the air. "L-Legacy?"

She blinked, setting her feet down on the ground. The storm subsided, the weather clearing. Remy exhaled when she seemed to calm down. She rubbed her forehead, memories of being trapped in a test tube haunting her. She rubbed her head in a daze, looking around. He felt himself panic when she didn't answer. _'Who know what's happenin' in her head.'_ "Anna." Remy repeated, his voice more firm. Their eyes met and he felt better.

"Yeah, Ah'm fine. Sorry... Ah started thinking about the clones." She rubbed her arms absentmindedly. He nodded sympathetically, wondering how her head had all that room for memories.

"It's rough, I know,_ petite_." His expression became even more serious when Magneto and Mystique appeared.

"We must hurry." He said, his eyes anchored on Rogue.

"Before the X-Men get here. Come now." Mystique gestured towards herself and Rogue obeyed. Remy's hand grasped her arm until she floated out of reach to Mystique's side. Magneto smiled proudly.

"You can do this. All of those mutants," He touched her face and looked into her eyes for a moment. Perhaps, a moment too long. Long enough for Mystique to notice, anyway. _'What is going on here with my daughter...'_ She made a note to bring that up, watching how comfortable they seemed around each other. "They are depending on you, Legacy. Show them they are right."_ 'For Charles.'_ He thought desperately, turning around in determination. "They're going to catch on eventually. Let's go."

Rogue followed after Magneto in the air, Mystique and Remy following on ground. Mutants watched Magneto and Rogue with curiosity, hidden among the trees. He had promised to liberate mutants being tortured, researched on, vivisected. And together, they would take vengeance on the world. He seemed to be keeping good on his words. He shared a comforting look with Rogue before focusing on his powers.

She looked down at her own green cloths, her hands covered in teal gloves. She curled her fists tight. Then, she focused. Both Remy and Mystique watched as the ground began to shake and tremble. Slowly, the earth opened, giving Magneto the opportunity demonstrate his massive abilities. Rogue raised another hand, joining the mutant as they slowly began to raise the hidden facility, together.

"My_ god_..." Mystique whispered, as the trembling compound came into sight. Alarms started blaring, as windows started to come into view. Between the two of them, the whole building rose above the earth. Within minutes, it was resting on solid ground.

_"Now._" Magneto instructed. He waved an arm and doors disappeared off the hinges. Scientists and soldiers began to pour out, climbing through windows and torn doors, screaming. Cries rang out as the building raised. Rogue's skin turned to iron as she focused, her teeth clenched in effort. Her forehead swept with pink, they were all suddenly knocked aside. One by one, they were stopped from apprehending the mutants.

Her eyes glowing, test tubes and cages began to appear, settling on the frozen soil. Magneto reached forward, unlocking their cages with his abilities. The metal sprang open as the researches began to realize what was happening.

"No!" One woman screamed. "They can't be freed, they-" The scientists screamed as Rogue ripped the guns and weapons off the soldiers, condensing them into scrap metal. Remy couldn't believe what he was seeing. Rogue was a one woman army, especially with all the abilities Magneto had forced her to take. She was powerful, but there was something deeply unstable about the display. It wouldn't be forever.

Magneto was too enthralled to see Rogue wielding all the abilities like they were made for her. The ground began to tremble and shake, Rogue's hood sliding off of her head. Branches and roots reached up, wrapping themselves around the scientists. Then, the soldiers. Soon they were all encased to the earth by rock and root. They struggled in vain, staring at the almighty mutants.

Eventually, the test subjects began to examine freedom. Half a dozen young girls and boys, all taking after Logan in one way or another. Tan skinned, dark haired. Cold eyes. Remy shook his head, wondering how people created kids just to be in pain. They looked around, crouched defensively. Like this was all some cruel test. Magneto reached out and tested his hold over all of them, grinning.

He clenched a fist and the building groaned. Out floated several vials of a red powder. "You're free, now!" Rogue cried, some of the mutants from Magneto's rally coming forward. They stared in amazement at the free mutants. "You'll never be hurt again." She promised, her chest burning with emotion.

_"You are the heartbeat of the mutant race, Anna." He placed his hand over her chest and the girl blushed. "The ability to hold any mutant ability... If we had our gospel, our bible. Our truth. It'd be about you." Now her cheeks were on fire. Joseph had such a way of speaking, of making somebody feel wanted. Of making them feel needed. It's an important feeling. She watched curiously as the metal weights and equipment rose around them. _

_They circled around them like planets in orbit. Rogue watched, always amazed by Magneto's skill above all else. "I am just a mutant. I am all of them." She said, her hand curling over his. "I am whoever I need to be." She continued, her voice not as sure. He took his hand from her and clasped her face. _

_"You are many," He told her, staring deeply in her eyes. "They are one. Never forget that." _

Rogue looked out as all the dark eyed little children looked at her, staring through her. A stare that said they'd all seen many things. "We are many!" She continued, her wings glowing different colors. "Those that hate us, they are_ one._" She continued. Some of the children weren't even teenagers yet. Tiny little babes who couldn't do anything. Or at least, they looked that way. They could kill grown, dangerous men.

Magneto looked around them, hovering close to Rogue. He could sense them, men and their metal toys. Their machinery. Their guns. _'It is almost time._' "Come children." Magneto boomed, the soldiers' flashlights shining through the trees. Before he could he move he heard something.

"There she is!" He frowned. Only then did he remember that Laura had stopped by their base all the way in Muir island_. 'I should've known, intel.'_ He thought grudgingly. No sooner had he heard the exclamation did he see them, the entire group standing on the other side. Wolverine was hunched in front of them all, perpetually daring Magneto to devastate him.

They were all silent, their eyes taking in the scene of captured scientists and freed child experiments, some of which with their claws out. Kitty and Jean both had their mouths covered, doing the math of the kid's ages in their head. Logan was silent, words stolen from his lips as Laura shook beside him. He heard her whimper and his stomach fell to the ground. He'd never heard her make a sound like that.

Then, he heard her whisper. "_Gabbi._.." Logan's chest feels like it's in a vice.

_"Intruders_," Magneto hissed, throwing himself in front of Rogue. "I will not tolerate interruptions."

"Jean, keep the kids subdued so we can get them looked at in the institute." Scott ordered, taking in the scene. He straightened his visor with a frown, trying to hide that he was scared.

"Got it, Scott." She answered, all of them getting ready for the fight of their lives.


	7. Chapter 7

Laura recognized some of the subjects. Logan hadn't even thought to think about that possibility_. 'They have been doing trials all over the world..._' He thought, and very rarely did they put all their eggs in one basket with these kinds of things. The thought of having several, feral Weapon X projects at the institute makes him dizzy, but he would kill to get them safely there. His claws shot out, his teeth bared._ 'The kids,'_ His mind screamed. They all looked like Laura's little siblings.

Rogue was looking down at them when a sound was heard roaring over them. Preparing to land was a massive, magenta and purple robot. This felt familiar to her, too. When she cowered against him, something snapped inside of Magneto. He had witnessed some of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen by seeing the little ones freed, and they send sentinels in response. He was sick of the human's hand over top of mutants.

"You bring me fodder to use as _ammo_?!" He declared, covering the massive machine in purple energy. Logan pushed Laura and Kitty back, his eyes trained on the lethal robot. _'Just what we need...'_ He looked around him, getting sight on everyone.

"Everyone, careful. I _don't_ want any infirmary trips." He growled, getting eyes on the whole team. With a grunt, Magneto thrust forward. The sentinel was sent flying, upturning earth and trees all around it. Everything shook, humans and mutants stumbling. Military forces were arriving, tanks lining up to make a perimeter.

_'This is starting to get out of hand,'_ Scott thought, staying close to Jean. Magneto was flying off the handle, that much was clear. "Mutant threats spotted, secret facility compromised!" A voice called out. A pinched scowl on his face, Magneto waved the vials of mysterious substances in front of him.

"Be _free_." The glass was shattered by bullets. The dust spread into the atmosphere, but only the Weapon X projects that weren't Logan could notice. He could tell what it was from the changes in their posture. Luckily, he had broken this conditioning, but they improved upon the technique in the years after. It took years of the professor's time and dedication to overcome his programming, and even then... His heart began slamming in his chest. _'No, what did he do!' _

"Scott, Jean." He barked, watching as the kids and Laura all began scrubbing at their noses. "Magneto just sent off their trigger smell. Their trigger as in_ attack_, soon they won't be able to help it." He turned and faced the leader seriously. "You guys have to go, for now. I can handle it. I'll stay and get Rogue." He turned back around and faced he scene as though it were not up for debate.

"But-" Logan shook his head.

"No time. You guys _have_ to go." They had heard of his berserker rages, but they hadn't seen one. Not a real one. Scott pressed his mouth into a line, but nodded. He tugged on Jean and repeated him.

"Everybody, fall back until I say otherwise. C'mon." He didn't have to say it again. Soon it was only Logan and his clones left. His mind was working a mile a minute. _'What am I supposed to do about a bunch of my clones going feral...'_ He would try, but he wasn't even certain he'd be able to help Laura. And he'd worked with her extensively._ 'They fill these children with such rage... That's why these trigger scents and noises work so well to set them off.'_ He sighed, bracing Laura's shoulders.

"Laura, you_ listen to me_. You fight this, cause I ain't goin' anywhere." Laura snarled, the impulse to be aggressive getting worse. Logan cursed to himself. Fury had been right, soon they would be let loose in Canada and wreaking havoc._ 'I can't let that happen, what am I supposed to do?'_ The younger children were succumbing to those painful instincts already.

Screaming, crying, lashing out blindly. Both Remy and Mystique watched in shock. They couldn't believe that Magneto had done this on_ purpose_. They looked like little demons, their eyes as black as their souls. It disturbed the New Orleans man, especially with his connection to voodoo and the 'other side'. They were messing with these children's' souls, and for what? How was what Blindspot did to Rogue any different? He shook off a chill as Rogue watched in horror.

"What's_ happenin_' to 'em?!" She cried, looking at Magneto. He watched, stone faced.

"Now we show the world what _they_ created. What humans did." Rogue felt herself shaking. _'Did he just set their triggers off? How could he-"_

_"Trust me_, Anna." He gave her a pleading look and she tried to relax. In a flash the children started to go for the soldiers, Laura included. Logan jumped in the way of her claws, determined not to let her take anymore lives.

"I _know_ you're in there, Laura! It's_ me_! It's Logan, I'm here!" He cried out as her claws pierced his shoulder, then his throat. "It doesn't matter _what_ happens... I'll be here." She stared at him, her eyes two holes of nothing. He'd never seen them like that, so empty. Just black with rage. Rogue watched, confused why such an evil, cruel mutant was trying to council the girl out of her blackout.

'_It doesn't... It doesn't make sense with my memories of him._' She thought, secretly worried. Every time she saw him, she was scared, but she simultaneously ached. And she didn't know why. Despite her horrible memories, every time the man saw her his face was soft. Sad. Nothing like the raging lunatic in her mind. She thought about Jean's comment carefully._ 'Sam would never... She's my best friend. She wouldn't touch mah mind, would she?'_ When the ground shook, she decided a sentinel attack was not the time to ponder it.

The Weapon X projects were scrambling for the soldiers, cutting the weapons in half, plunging their claws into their armor. They weren't as big or strong as Logan, but they were about three times as fast. As he wrestled with Laura, covered in his blood, he prayed for the men that had to fight his clones. They were bred and designed so they couldn't win.

He slammed Laura into the ground as she writhed and raged, lost in the conditioning of X-23, not Laura. "I _know_ you're in there!" He cried as she sliced his arm. "I don't _care_ what you do to me!" She slashed at his ribs, screaming. "I won't_ ever_ leave you." How was he the same mutant who had been terrorizing Rogue as long as she could remember, as long as it made sense?

She turned as the sentinel readjusted itself, standing in front of a row of soldiers. Rogue clutched her fists, thinking about all the horrible things that had happened to the kids who'd been experimented on, battling like their lives depended on it. Clouds shadowed the sky as thunder rumbled. Thick, sturdy roots reached up from the earth and wrapped around the leg of the sentinel.

Sweat trailing down her brow, she began to twist and warp the metal on it's arms so they'd be less effective. She pulled with a grunt and yanked the remained guns away. They scattered all over the ground. They all watched as the purple, telekinetic butterflies flew to the foreheads of Logan's clones, even Laura. He watched in shock as they seemed to be soothed._ 'She... She's helping them?' _He watched in shock as a pink haze covered everything, shocking even the soldiers. Laura blinked and sniffed, crying out weakly.

He grabbed her arm, reassuring her that he was there.

Magneto turned to Rogue, shocked that she had undid the trigger smell. "Ah _can't_ see them in pain, Joseph." She said, turning to Magneto with iron skin. "It hurt _too_ much." The man tried to speak but no words happened. He found that he couldn't be mad at her, in fact, that it made him admire her _more._ She was never more beautiful than she was draped in all her powers. With wings, Nightcrawler's tail, Piotr's skin, Wolverine's claws... It was religious for him. How couldn't he concede? He nodded, a satisfied smile on his face.

The kids and Laura were standing in a daze, confused by the last few minutes. "TARGET CHANGED," A soldier's voice rang out. "I repeat, target switched. Target is airborne mutant female." Logan felt his blood run cold as he turned to Rogue. _'No, they're aware of how powerful she is.'_ He watched helplessly as the sentinel set it's sights for her.

The robot tried to smash it's arm into her, but she sent it crashing through the barren tundra. While the mutants duked it out with the sentinel, the soldiers got a second string of guns to use. Laura and Logan had their backs pressed together, their claws raised. Logan was frantically trying to get his eyes on all the projects and Rogue. He felt his breath go short when what looked like the youngest experiment ran over, clinging to Laura.

"I never thought I'd _see_ you again!" He pushed the little one behind him, his eyes wild. He would officially do anything to protect all his clones and Rogue. Decorum and the X-Men way were out the window. Laura wrapped her arms around her without hesitation.

"Apprehend or take out Target A at all costs_. I repeat,_ all costs." Magneto moved closer to Rogue, his face dark. Heaven help whoever tried to take his legacy. He moved his arm violently and their weapons flew away. Rogue raised her hand, the ground breaking into jagged layers, some soldiers falling in. Trees began to fall, lighting striking the soldiers as the hex powers began to take over.

A massive wall of water formed, crashing over top the soldiers and washing away a lot of the supplies. Logan watched, unsure of what he was seeing anymore. He'd never dreamed of Rogue having so much power. It scared him. _'This is Charles' worst nightmare.'_ He thought, his heart heavy in his chest. _'I have to put an end to this.'_

Magneto hovered beside Rogue as she carefully weaved her powers together to disarm the soldiers. And not even lethally. He'd always felt superior to humans, but never more in that moment. And he wasn't even doing anything._ 'It is a weird thought, but she is amazing.'_ He admitted to himself finally._ 'My equal. I have never encountered such.'_ Was she perfect because it was who she was? Or, did he build her? He couldn't tell, that was his biggest reservation. But, it didn't help his feelings.

"She saved you, and you still attack." Magneto said angrily, wrenching the guns away and facing them at the soldiers. Logan felt his blood run cold. The few soldiers that had guns began firing. The children began leaping like bullets to evade being shot. Remy twirled his staff expertly, repelling the bullet spray. Mystique reluctantly cowered behind him. Magneto shielded both him and Rogue with an electromagnetic shield.

Rogue flickered back to her normal skin as to not take all of the barrier he had created. As the army's backup arrived, it was helping even the playing field. It became a battleground, complete chaos. Focusing on what she'd absorbed of Wanda, she began constructing an invisible wall of energy that would reflect back onto the robot. It all happened so fast. Remy was disarming the soldiers with his cards and staff.

Logan and Laura were safely taking out soldiers, making their weapons useless but leaving them unharmed. The kids were mostly being evasive, avoiding confrontation the most. Rogue was so focused on protecting everyone from the sentinel, which was just a danger at this point. She had almost completed it when a young, scared soldier fired a shot.

It rang out, everyone turning to investigate. Logan felt himself, smelling to see if he could smell Laura's or one of the clone's blood. He didn't, he smelled _Rogue's._

Fear and panic set off a five alarm bell in his brain._ 'No, god damn it. Not her.'_ He tried to locate her, his eyes scanning everywhere. She was in the sky. She was holding her _neck_. Everything else seemed to happen in slow motion. For a moment, Magneto couldn't breathe, and neither could Remy. Rogue's hand's shot to her neck immediately, making Magneto feel afraid.

If her skin had been iron, she would've been fine. But she_ wasn't._ She inhaled, but it sounded like a sick choking. The sound made Logan roar at the sky. Magneto's eyes went gold. He held out a hand and an electromagnetic pulse sent all of the troops and the sentinel speeding through the air, landing dozens of feet away. He turned back to Rogue, his heart hammering in his chest. _"Anna-"_

She inhaled again weakly before sailing from the sky. Magneto followed her in shock as she plunged into Remy's hands. He caught her, setting her down on the ground as gently as he could. _'C'mon girl,'_ He thought, terrified of how much blood there was. It was leaking all over him, despite how hard he was pressing down. '_I-It was her neck, how can she survive...'_ He tried not to think about it, his chest feeling too tight to breathe. If Magneto had stolen her and gotten her killed, he didn't know what he'd do._ 'Hang on, Rogue.'_

She grabbed onto his forearm, her nails digging into his skin. "_Hang on,"_ Remy demanded, Logan running over with a choked sob.

_"NO,_" He throw Remy off of her with disturbing ease, it was clear he had no idea what to do. Rogue was too much in shock to react to Logan's presence. She was turning white from blood loss, there was far too much of her blood in volume on the ground. He placed a hand to her neck, pressing as hard as he could bare to. He turned her quickly to her side, hoping it made it easier for her to breath. The gasping sound was killing him. "You're gonna be_ fine_," He told her, his breath catching in his throat. "Don't be scared."

Maybe it was the shock, but Rogue believed him. It was his eyes. Magneto landed beside her, screaming as he touched her. As though it pained him, he lifted his hand and gently took the bullet out to Logan's fear. He also noticed that Magneto was only wearing one glove, for whatever reason. "I'm _here,_ Anna." The white haired mutant told her through clenched teeth, his long hair clinging to his face. He basically ignored Logan.

He jumped when Rogue gave a concerning gasp. Her back arched, her eyes wide with shock. She was bleeding out. _'How do I know her psyche can handle absorbing me?!'_ He thought as he panicked, feeling his heart ripped in half. Jean's ominous words rang in his head. He could kill her two ways, touching her or by doing nothing. His skin crawled when he saw Magneto touching Rogue with his _bare_ hand. Remy too, he was standing mute, in the complete disbelief that Magneto could touch Rogue, too. '_Non, dis is a nightmare...'_

Logan just looked into the mutant's eyes, at a loss for words. He grunted as his body moved despite his resistance._ 'He's gonna attack me NOW?' _He thought, shocked, even for Magneto. His glove came off to reveal his bare hand. He saw it, before the emotion was swallowed into the black of his eyes. Logan knew it because that's how he felt seeing Rogue hurt, dying despite his best efforts to save her. _'What's happened between them,'_ He thought. _'What's he done?'_

The man didn't struggle against Magneto's control. It wasn't the first time he'd traded his ability for Rogue's life. He was mostly just shocked to see the man's desperate, urgent expression. It disturbed him. How he looked like he needed her, like he had nothing if she died. And no matter what happened, it was something he'd bring up to anyone who'd listen. He cried out as Rogue began to take his abilities, slowl_y. 'God, please let this save her...'_ He thought before he began to feel light headed. _'Keep it up, Stripes. Keep taking it.' _

Both Remy and Magneto watched intensely as the wound slowly healed, closing up and leaving behind only blood. Remy exhaled, realizing he'd been blinking back tears. '_What is wrong wit Remy?'_ He thought in shock. He'd never found himself so soft before. He had been surrounded by death and carnage other times, why was she starting to get to him? That was the million dollar question.

Remy took the opportunity to lift her before his boss did, staring down at her pale and clammy skin. Logan watched, pinned to the ground by Magneto's powers. The metal collected, encompassing them as they did when he exited.

"Magneto! Let me go you_ bastard_. Let her_ go_!" He screamed, watching reluctantly as they rose in the sky. '_Not again.' _He had been fading in and out of consciousness once she absorbed him_. 'I... I don't know if it worked...' _Scott and Jean ran over quickly, the rest of the team following close. Ororo landed beside him, her eyes wide.

"Logan, I-" Logan sniffed, even as Jean placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to examine him.

"She was_ shot_..." He murmured, Laura's hand on his back. "If my healing factor didn't work..." He looked at the blood soaked ground, dragging his fingers through it. "Then_ she didn't make it_. There's too much blood." Jean covered her mouth fearfully as Kurt collapsed against Kitty. Scott clenched his jaw tight.

"We can't think about that, your healing factor has worked before." Jean looked at Scott sympathetically. She knew there was a serious problem with her absorbing Logan's psyche and memories. _'I'm just not certain it could handle that after Blindspot's extreme manipulation. And even if she did, she'll have to go back in there.._.' She understood well that minds could only accept so much. She kept it to herself, her face still said it all. "We have to be positive, she's still out there. We can get her." He urged, staring up at the sky.

As soon as he could, Logan stood shakily on his feet. "We have to help them," He shuddered, stumbling to Kitty's worry.

"Mr. _Logan_, wait... Give yourself a few minutes._ Rogue-_" He shook his head.

"We have to get them out of here before they're captured again." Jean rose to the air alongside Ororo.

"He's right, we need to do this. And fast." She looked out at the terrified children, all trying to calculate the best way to escape. But one clung to Laura, her mini me with short, wild hair. Jean knew Logan was thinking it too, if the experiments banded together, they were in a world of trouble. Laura possessed top level espionage training and education, it could only be assumed they did too.

That's when it happened. The United States Military and the Canadian Military were not the only forces present, S.H.I.E.L.D had been on the scene. And so were some mutants for hire that Fury had mentioned. And they had an objective. To make sure none of the Weapon X projects survived, due to Magneto's plot. A shot rang out, whizzing through the air. Scott tugged Kurt and Jean down, Logan's body covering Laura, the clone, and Kitty.

But the aim had been targeting one of the other clones. Whatever was in the bullet or syringe was enough to drop a little boy, no older than twelve. And he knew he would not be getting up. _"NO_," He screamed, spit flying from his mouth. How much would he stand to lose. The professor. Rogue. And now, these little lives that stood no chance? He wouldn't have it. He could hear Jean and Kitty behind him screaming.

More shots ring. Laura is shielding Gabbi, Logan shielding them both. "RUN," He screams, trying to protect his team and the clone at once. But he can't be in two places at once. And it took less than a minute for the rest to meet the same fate as the first boy. Now, Logan felt like his trigger scent had been released. He didn't want to go to that dark place, he didn't want to enter a beserker rage. But, this was _his_ fault.

If he had died, these kids would've never been subjected to any of this. It wasn't right. There was only one left. The one Laura knew. That's when he saw her. Her nails a foot long, lethal weapons. Her face was painted white like a geisha, her dark hair tied back. The guns were on her wrists. She had been altered like Logan, not completely human anymore. He had been battling her for years, searching for a way to destroy the cyborg. He never found a way.

S.H.I.E.L.D had been hiring the likes of Lady Deathstrike? To work for them? To kill mutant child experiments. He was going to be sick. He watched as his vision went literally red.

_"Yuriko.._." He breathed, his fists curled tightly. Jean turned to him in worry. _'No... No, he knows them.'_ She often forgot how long Logan had been alive. It was a part of his mutation, his healing factor. Drastically slowed his aging. Just being around made him know a lot of people, and it was clear he did not like this S.H.I.E.L.D agent. _'Who could take out mutant children, ones of their own...'_ She shook her head, hurting for Logan.

"No hard feelings," She blinked, her face blank. She could wear whatever suit she wanted, she'd always be Lady Deathstrike to him. "The world doesn't need a bunch of_ you_." He screamed out, flying from Laura's side without warning. Yuriko screeched, holding her long nails to block his. She jabbed at his shoulder but he kept swiping, determined to slash her.

"Yuriko!" Logan recognized the voice but he didn't care. She had slaughtered the children, and if it's one thing he'd kill for, it was that. He was lost in his rage and despair now, reaching desperately to reach the woman's blood. "Stand down,_ I said_!" Nick Fury watched as Logan lashed out at her. He couldn't blame him, but he'd become used to these decisions. He had to make hard ones every day for the good of the world. He didn't expect him to ever understand. "Listen, Logan. _I'm sorry_-" He turned and jabbed at the man, struggling to cut him.

He was covered in an invisible force field not even his claws could penetrate. "Please, just _listen-_" He snarled, refusing to listen to lies.

"They were _KIDS, Fury_. Children, and you..." Angry tears streamed down his face. "You just..."

"They were put through worse than_ Laura_, Logan. And even more susceptible to trigger scents. You can blame Magneto, when he did _that_... He_ sealed_ their fates. Anyone could be targeted, stalked by any one of them until killed. Innocents anywhere, slaughtered, then they slip into the wind. You know that can't happen, the chaos they could reign in a week. A _month?_" Logan looked away from him. He didn't care.

"You weren't supposed to be here, you weren't supposed to_ see_ this." He reached out for the man but he jerked away, numb. His body buzzing, like he was full of bees. His vision tunneling when he remembers Gambit carrying Rogue off half dead, maybe bleeding out. Maybe not fully healed and dying right_ now_, surrounded by Acolytes. In the dark. Unloved. He took in a sharp breath and Fury frowned. He'd never seen the man like this. Ever. "Hey, I mean that. I'm sorry." He spied Laura, crouched defensively in front of the last, little clone. Her eyes black, her teeth bared. "Take her." He waved Yuriko down.

Logan looked up at him dumbly. "I said take her, you go_, now_." _'Right now, they are looking for Magneto and Rogue.'_ He thought but didn't say. "Leave." Logan rose to his feet, trying not to look at all the little bodies scattered. _"Now,_ Logan." He took Gabbi into his arms and just started running. Running as fast as his feet could carry him, Laura anchored by his side. Running, running as fast as he could from what he saw.

Fury stood and watched until the X-Men disappeared over the horizon.


	8. Chapter 8

The footage of Magneto and Rogue freeing the Weapon X experiments played on the massive screen in the office. Hundreds of millions of dollars in equipment destroyed by them, an entire facility of Area 52 level confidentiality breached. Revealed, on camera. Tests and information, contaminated. Sentinels overpowered. Whole armies nearly taken out. It was apocalyptic. It was on the 6 o'clock news.

The men in suits, even former military stood and watched in discomfort. Fear. Knowing that the only thing that could maybe touch these mutants were nukes, and they knew the risks of that. They'd coined a new term for it, _Omega_. Reality affecting, controlling, _changing_ mutants were to be described as Omega level threats.

And they were holding a meeting about what to do about it. Magneto was a high level mutant, but his ideology made him Omega in their eyes. He was a terrorist by all accounts with a very mutant agenda. If anyone could incite a war, it was him. Especially, with Charles gunned down. In his company is an apparent Omega mutant by the name of Rogue. Scientists and researchers aren't sure how, but it appears she's become an Omega level mutant with the abilities mentioned before. The combination has the S.H.I.E.L.D agents worried. Very worried.

All of them except one. She's an athletically built blonde who was attractive and otherwise unassuming. Her hair was chopped in an uneven way, most of it falling into her eyes. She had sunglasses on the top of her forehead as she watched the footage, unmoving. She was the only one who did not seem nervous by what she was watching. That's because she had Omega powers herself, she just happened to be employed by S.H.I.E.L.D.

She was their strongest Avenger, their get out of jail free card. The team was on mission and it was going to be a while, that left Carol Danvers to hopefully deal with the Bayville mutant issue. Popping gum in her mouth, she watched with her arms folded.

"As you can see, she has all of the abilities that fall under the category of Omega." A worried voice came from a man with a mustache. Carol nodded slowly.

"Ah, she's like_ me_." She adjusted her cropped, leather jacket. "No biggie." Nobody at the D.C S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters had ever seen Carol ruffled. Not in all her years of working with them. She was the exception to the rule, a super powered individual who worked incredibly well with the government. And who'd saved the world a few times.

"Her power doesn't seem very stable... We worry-"

"About reality and life being altered. Got it, this wouldn't be the first time." She cracked her knuckles someone cockily. "Get me her file and I'll take care of it." We that, she took off flying out a window while they all watched.

* * *

Magneto watched with an unrivaled intensity as Blindspot worked, her hand laid upon Rogue's sweaty forehead. She felt nervous with him and some of the other Acolytes watching. Always watching. Did any of them trust her? She didn't feel comfortable intruding upon Rogue's memories again, but she had no choice. "How did she touch-"

"She _had_ to." Magneto snapped, his tone silencing her. Remy sighed, his eyes also anchored on the girl. She was tossing and turning, her brow covered in dew. It seemed much more difficult this time for Blindspot to alter her memories. It was hard to watch her sit uncomfortably, in pain.

"She was shot,_ petite."_ He filled in glumly. "Wolverine has a healin' factor, only reason she here, now." He explained, avoiding his boss' eyes. Fear gripped the smaller mutant's heart. _'Shot, jesus, Rogue. What does he have you doing?'_ She glowered, continuing to erase and alter Logan's memories so she could function again as she had been._ 'These memories are nightmarish, I must take care to get them or she could end up unstable.'_

She sighed. "Well," Magneto interrupted. "How is it going?" She steeled her face.

"She should be fine, with_ rest._" She answered, looking into her flushed face._ 'I certainly hope so..._' Finally satisfied with the prognosis, Magneto scrubbed a hand over his worn face. Who was he? He was not a young, impulsive, fool. Why did he risk the work of Blindspot just to save the girl? It had more to do than mutant supremacy or doing right by Charles' legacy. It was something else entirely.

_'What are these feelings I have for this girl, feelings that manage to surpass that of my own children...'_ He shook the notion out of his head. His thoughts were wrong, callous. Unfeeling. But, Rogue made him feel things he hadn't felt in decades. Things he didn't expect to feel once Charles died. "You make sure she's okay._ Happy._ And not in pain." He demanded, forcing himself to tear from the girl's side. There was far too much on his mind.

_'Do I love her?_' It was as preposterous as it was likely. He disappeared into his chambers, leaving Remy and Piotr alone with Sam. She was staring down intently at Rogue, her dark hair in her eyes. There was an elephant in the room, but none of them felt they had any right to talk about it. They took the moment of peace to reflect. To think. To weigh their options. They didn't expect that the X-Men had tracked them all the way from Canada.

None of them did.

* * *

"You stay here, you take care of Gabbi." Logan ordered his clone, the exhaustion evident on his face. She didn't need to be ordered, there was nothing in heaven or hell that could tear the girl from her side. Logan looked around at the team, he knew they were tired. Beyond tired. He was too. But they owed it to Rogue, she couldn't act on Magneto's behalf anymore. Things were getting dangerous.

Storm and Kitty had their destination set for Muir, and they arrived less than an hour later. If they had come there, Logan would be able to smell. He shot out of the jet like flames were at his feet. He breathed in deeply._ 'She's here.'_ The X-Men could just barely keep up as they tore off off him, anxious to see is his nose was right. _'Would Magneto leave himself so open after a close call?_' Scott could only wonder. They were all hoping so.

Jean halted them all when Logan froze. "Scent stops here," He reported, his eyes fixed around him. The telepath closed her eyes and focused, hovering above the ground. "I sense a great concentration of metal... Right below." Logan and Scott looked to the boots on their soil.

"His base," Scott breathed. Logan looked worriedly at Kitty and Kurt.

"What do either of you think?" They looked at each other unsurely. It depended, they had no idea how thick or how far the base went from the surface. But nobody wanted to tell Logan they couldn't do it.

"It doesn't feel thick, at all, a standard phase." Jean looked around. "He obviously wasn't expecting us to track this down." Logan gave a savage grin.

"Thanks, Bucket Head. Kitty, you ready?" She nodded in determination, her short hair waving around her. The whole team touched and she took a deep breath. The team slipped through the ceiling of the fortress easily. Then all hell broke lose. First, it was Piotr's scream that alerted Remy and Blindspot that something was wrong. Really wrong.

The Russian jerked and turned to iron, making the southerner grab his staff. Sam screamed and loss contact with Rogue. She woke up. The first thing she did was yell, shrilly. A horrible sound filling the base. This tore Magneto from his office and to the alert that he had intruders. Approximately, a whole team's worth. "GET OUTTA MAH HEAD!" She freaked, grabbing her hair and tugging as the past few days hit her in rapid succession.

Logan and Kurt watched in shock. She was under there. Under the fake persona, under the altered memories was their _Rogue_. Fighting to get free.

_"STRIPES,_ WE'RE HERE!" He shouted, reaching for her. Kurt started screaming too, then Kitty. Soon, the metal fortress was a cacophony of noise and chaos. Before Logan could reach Rogue, something slammed into him like a torpedo. He'd recognize that funk anywhere_. 'Sabretooth, not fuckin' now,'_ He thought desperately, craning his neck to find Rogue, even as he cut him.

She was standing in a fright on her bed. Something was wrong_. 'If she's herself and she has control of all those powers, she can break free.'_ "Rogue! Rogue!" He heard Scott screaming above him over the chaos. An optic blast flew. "_Rogue!_" She was looking around in shock, trying to pick apart her memories from the fake ones._ 'M-My friends? Who are they?'_ Figure out where she was, how she got there, who she was with...

Remy was eyeing her with wide, red and black eyes from the ground. He and Piotr had no idea what they should do. It seemed there was a complete lapse in Blindspot's work. When she landed her eyes on the petite mutant, a sudden pain wracked her head. She shook it, wavy silver and auburn strands in her face. _'She did this...'_ She thought, looking around in confusion.

She flew down and grabbed the girl with ease. "WHAT DID YOU DO!" She demanded, screaming in Sam's face. This was her worst nightmare. Both Sabretooth and Logan slammed into Kitty who phased through them. She ran out of the area quickly, as they continued slashing and cutting at each other, spilling blood all over the base. Machinery toppled over as they gored each other, savagely.

"It was for your_ own good,_ Rogue," Sam answered, not even convincing herself. She whimpered when the mutant shook her.

"Liar_, nggghh_-" Another pain wracked her head and she fell beside Remy and Piotr.

_"Chére-_" He stooped to her side, wearily eyeing the X-Men as they approached.

"Back _off_ of her," Scott warned, his hand on his visor. Jean stood tall beside him as Logan tussled and tossed with Sabretooth. Remy glared at them, unsure if Rogue was the real Rogue or Legacy.

"Tell us what you did to her, _now_." Jean added sternly. She needed to know what Rogue's mind needed, because it was clear she was in pain. Remy said nothing, his staff held in front of the girl.

"J-Jean, D-Don't_ let-_" She cried out again, her memories too jostled to make sense._ 'Who are they?'_ Jean rose to go to her side when a metal bar slammed her hard into the wall. She landed with an oomph, feeling at least one rib cracked.

"JEAN-" Scott was next, locked beside her due to a metal plate. Two bars swung, hitting both Kitty and Kurt in the head so they could not use their powers.

"Kurt, _KATHERINE!_" Logan snarled, pinned by his arch nemesis. "Leave them alone you _bastard!_" Bobby and Amara met the same fate, in a helpless position to use their powers. Magneto floated down and removed Scott's visor, throwing it out of reach. He kept his eyes shut, knowing full well what would happen if he opened them. Magneto then bent more metal in front of him.

"There, incase you get inventive. Open your eyes and the blast will hit your pretty girl in the face. She won't be so pretty if you do that." He stooped down to Rogue who was pulling weakly against Remy._ 'Seeing them disrupted her memories.'_ He lamented, cursing them for interrupting before Rogue was fully healed. "Forgive me, Anna." He jumped back when she looked at him with a look of such hatred, such fear. Such disbelief.

After being adored by her, mentoring her, showing her how to reach her full potential, he wasn't prepared for that. And now, she was back to being the young, disrespectful mutant Professor Xavier reared. _"Get the fuck away from me."_ She shuddered, spit dribbling down her chin. She knew. She remembered everything. She knew what he'd done to her. His worse fear had come true. He'd hope to never have to see this end of what he was doing, he didn't know if he could handle it. '_Legacy, I cannot lose you too.'_

He stood with a sigh, Logan's eyes trained on him despite his fight. "Boss," Remy began grudgingly. "What do we do?" She turned to him, trying to force her brain to think of the scathing words she had for him and the Russian beside him. Talking was difficult, though. He saw her words in the look. _'Elle me déteste.'_ He thought bitterly. And she had every right to.

Blindspot cowered beneath them all. She was sure Magneto killed for less. "We need to get her away from them. _Now."_ He ignored Jean and Scott's yelling.

"You need to release her to us, you could be hurting her! And _worse_, you're making her powers unstable. You're trying to control the uncontrollable, Erik. Trust me." Her stare darkened. "I would know." He didn't pay her words much mind. A child could never understand why he does the things he does.

"Ah'm not goin'_ anywhere_..." Rogue fell forward and Remy caught her, feeling bad that she hated him currently. She did indeed hate him, yet for some reason his touch was comforting. Like memories she didn't have were telling her to be okay with his touch._ 'What have they done to me?'_ She wondered, her brain feeling fatigued.

"Remy _got'cha._.." He murmured softly.

"Don't_ touch_ her!" Logan snarled, covered in his and Creed's blood. Magneto paid him no mind as the metal surrounded him, Remy, Blindspot, and Piotr. "NO," He watched helplessly as they planned to disappear, again.

"I will go somewhere you cannot track, and I will restore Legacy to health." He said, his face chillingly blank.

"She's_ Rogue!"_ Logan shouted, watching in horror as he took her.

"_L-Logan..."_ He watched as they crashed through the ceiling, shielded by metal. Creed paused when he realized his employer was fine to leave him. Without explaining where they were going or how he would get there. _'Son of a bitch...'_ He thought, angry of how tossed away Magneto was making him feel.

"I don't have something fishy between _my_ legs, I guess." He snarled, staring in disbelief. Logan turned to him, the rage palpable on his face if he were talking about Rogue. He turned to the Weapon X project and shrugged. "Fuck this. I'm not dealin' with this if he's gonna leave me." He backed off of Logan and turned. "Fuck you." Was all he said before taking off, leaving the base empty.

Logan growled as his wounds continued to heal. _'Magneto has completely fuckin' lost it, he won't even acknowledge that Rogue is a real person underneath what he's doing._' He shook his head, taking care to cut Jean down gently. She levitated Scott's visor over after, a frown on her face as she held her side. He sighed when he could open his eyes, his head pounding from being so tense. He examined the psychic immediately, his brow furrowed.

Logan cut Bobby and Amara down and slung Kurt and Kitty over his shoulder. "Let's get them looked at." He ordered, his voice tight. Nobody said anything.

* * *

Genosha was still mostly rubble, and a far less comfortable headquarters, but it would have to do if the X-Men had sniffed out the Muir base. Blindspot's precious work was interrupted prematurely. Seeing Logan and the X-Men triggered Rogue's old personality to surface, revealing she was somewhat aware. Somewhere. But there was no turning back, now. Magneto had united his people. He had started a movement. He had liberated mutant children and the armies killed them.

They needed to make a next move, and he could never do that without her by his side._ 'A necessary evil..._' He thought, his fists curled tightly. Necessary that granted him a beautiful, doting, strong woman by his side. How much of this was for _his_ benefit? He found that he didn't want to know. He'd found his henchmen few of words, watching as Sam worked endlessly on Rogue's mind.

"She should be fine _this_ time, as long as she rests and they don't barge in..." She added on. Magneto inhaled in response.

"Ya gon' get ya_ kids_ outta military detention?" Remy's voice cut through the air like a knife. His stare is a glare, and Magneto almost comments on it. He looks at him as if he expects more of an elaboration.

"They were captured, distracting X-Man." Piotr elaborated graciously. Magneto turned his attention back to the girl, his thoughts disturbed.

"I will go take care of that." He said after a painfully long moment. "Can you all handle looking after her? Protecting her from a repeat at Muir island?" They all nodded mutely. "Then, I will go."

Nobody said a word as he disappeared, cape fluttering behind him. Remy turned his lovesick gaze back at Rogue, thoughts of her hateful stare in his head._ 'She won't ever forgive Remy for dis, ever.'_ And he didn't want her to. But he found the constant thought breaking his heart, and when she returned as Legacy, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to hide it. That looking into her face felt like getting a thousand cuts. Like being crucified.

"We could always-" Remy elbowed the Russian before he finished his words. He knew Sam was not to be trusted. She was as selfish as Magneto was when it came to keeping Rogue apart of that charade. Piotr took the hint with a sigh, hoping the girl didn't notice. She was focused on Rogue's fragile mind and her memories. Remy cursed to himself. This wasn't going to last much longer.

* * *

"We've got to look on the positive side of things." Jean urged. Both Kitty and Kurt had frozen peas and steaks on their head. She couldn't remember the last time Scott or Logan wasn't scowling. Bobby and Amara stopped showing up to team briefings. "We saw Rogue. She's _okay._" She stressed. Kitty sighed loudly.

"That... Is a positive." Scott said, his mind clearly elsewhere.

"They haven't completely destroyed her sense of self." Logan offered quietly, a sleeping Gabbi leaned against him. Laura was right beside, always near. Nothing could pry the two apart, Logan had never seen anything like it before. He was thankful the girls had a comfort in each other. Someone should. "The _real_ Rogue is in there. That's enough to keep me fighting." He offered quietly, his mind clouded by Magneto's strange behavior. Especially, concerning her.

Reluctantly, he approached Jean as the team broke apart. "What is it, Logan?" She sensed his mood immediately.

"I need help figuring something out, in my_ head._" He pointed for emphasis. She nodded slowly, Scott frowning beside her.

"Happy to help." She faced the short man seriously. "What is it?"

"It's something I think I saw..." He volunteered reluctantly. He looked around to see who was lingering or hanging back. "Something about Magneto." He looked at them, his eyes wild. Scott didn't like the direction it was going.

"Something? Something like _what_?" He asked, looking between him and his girlfriend.

"I didn't touch Rogue, Scott. I would've, I was _about to_... But, Magneto _made_ me. As in controlled me to touch her before I got the chance to." Scott pressed his mouth into a line. "He wasn't acting like he was on a mission, he-"

"Was acting like a man in love." Jean finished grimly, her hands in her lap. Scott screwed his face in disgust.

"Wait,_ what-_"

"Blindspot's memory altering affects Rogue's personality. Her_ affect._ How she views him, so _of course_ she adores him. He's a narcissist, he instructed Blindspot to do so. So now, he's with this young, attractive, sweet..." Jean's voice tapered off when Logan began to growl. "I don't like it either, Logan. But, he's _vulnerable_ because the professor's died... It's more than just a plan, now. He's starting to care about her. Really, care about her. I don't need to read you to know that."

Logan shot out his claws in frustration._ 'How, how could he have his hands on her? How could I leave her so vulnerable? Charles rolls in his grave while this happens..._' He felt the walls closing in on him, he couldn't stand it anymore.

"We're gonna get her back from him, don't worry. She's fighting too, don't underestimate her. You know better than that." Even Logan had to smirk a little at that. She was fighting to the bitter end, he knew she would. It's what he'd taught her.

"Yeah. I know." He answered, his voice perpetually gravelly. "I just want this over. Yesterday."

"I know," Jean soothed. "Magneto is vain above all else, he'll make a move soon." Logan grunted in response, the days on end without resting finally hitting him. Laura growled beside him, urging him to get some sleep. Rest. Something, he'd been at it nonstop. He sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Catch a few." Scott insisted. "Jean and I will take over for a while." He nodded mutely, his mind on the stripe haired mutant. He retired to guest bedroom to rest his eyes for a few moments. He was out the whole night.

* * *

She opened her eyes to Remy already already leaning over her, waiting to see who would wake. Her hand flew to head instinctually, there was a dull aching. A throbbing, like there had been somewhere in there recently. She shook the strange thought, staring into red and black eyes. "Remy," She sighed, and he knew she was back to the way she was. The way Blindspot had made her. The fake Rogue. His attempt at a smile failed.

She sat up and he helped her, a shaking hand on her back."You're with us." He said, sounding something close to relieved. She eyes him with concern. He didn't seem himself.

"Remy, everythin' alright?" His face sobered._ 'I almost watched ya die, chére.'_ He thought, his chest feeling tight at the thought.

"Sho' is now dat ya awake. Remy rest much easier, now." He softened his eyes and handed her a glass of water. "Drink up," She obliged, blushing at his intense stare. Intense. That was a good word to describe the mysterious southerner who was so loyal to her. Has always been by her side since she could remember. "Somethin' wrong?" Her blush deepens when he realizes she's staring.

"Nothin', sorry." She set the water down and frowned. She felt like she was forgetting something. Someone. She was chasing a feeling, something on the tip of her tongue she couldn't place. "Yeah, nothin'." He could sense her melancholy, but thought better of acknowledging it.

"Ya took quite a bump on de head." He touched the back of it affectionately, though he wasn't sure why. "Don't push yaself too hard." She nodded, swinging her legs over the side of the bed anyway.

"Joseph, is he..." His eyes hardened. "He's okay, right? All I remember are the children..." She shook her head, wondering why it felt like a wall in her mind. _'What's wrong with me? How hard did Ah hit my head?_' She was beginning to worry about it.

"He fine, thanks to you. Y'saved us all." He informed her warmly. Again, his stare hardened. "De _kids,_ though..." His expression said it first. "Only one got away, maybe." Rogue felt a weight crush her chest._ 'It was all for them, no...'_

"What was the _point,_ Remy?" She asked, her voice hushed. He took her gloved hand into his and rubbed it softly.

"Remy sorry, _petite_. Ah know it hurt. But das why we keep fighting, why de mutants need someone like _you."_ It was true, but not in what she was doing now. His words felt hollow, they left a bad taste in his mouth. She was none the wiser. She looked at her hands, questioning everything she was._ 'Is he right_?' "C'mon, we got another rally to do. Magnus need ya there." She nodded, easing to her feet.

The groups were already gathered near their camp, again in the Canadian wilderness. Lot's of faces Rogue recognized, even more she did not. "The military, their government. They _took_ something away from us." Magneto's voice floated over the crowd, demanding their attention. "Young lives snuffed. Cloned, created. _Bred_ for pain. Experiments. No more. We will not accept it." Mutants cheered, clapped, hollered. Rogue stood amongst them. "We will make them pay!'

More cheers. That's when she shot into the camp like a missile, kicking up debris and frozen tundra. Mutants ran screaming, expecting another military attack. Another sentinel. Some stood their ground, making a line to defend Magneto and their Messiah against the threat. But no, it was one woman. Magneto floated in front of Rogue, his face pinched.

She stood and dusted off her black, tight S.H.I.E.L.D suit, like colliding with the solid ground didn't hurt her at all. Rogue eyed her in confusion, as far as she could tell, she_ was_ a mutant. _'Why attack us?'_ She thought._ 'Join us!'_ She looked up wearily at the two mutants.

"Rogue. Magneto. Let's not make this any more difficult than it has to be." She smirked at them, showing she wasn't worried about either of them. Magneto began to glow with a bright, purple light as Rogue flew beside him. "_Okay,"_ Carol cracked her neck, and then her knuckles. "The hard way."


	9. Chapter 9

Carol sized the two mutants up in front of her. She had been briefed extensively on them both, she was kind of sick of it. Sick of them. They had everyone else already in a frenzy, but not her._ 'Power is nothing without control,'_ Her teammates had taught her. Magneto was a control freak, that would be his downfall. He was controlling the girl, she was not controlling herself. She would be able to overtake her. Experience and control went a long way, especially when you're indestructible.

Carol could lift whole trains over her head. Buildings, commercial airliners. Carol hadn't run into something she couldn't pick up. Toss. Punch. Throw. She could take bullets to her skin better than Piotr with his iron epidermis. She could fly higher and faster than any known aircraft. She was Ms. Marvel. Carol Danvers. Many with her gifted blood and genes bore the mantel, she was the current. Working in tandem with S.H.I.E.L.D to keep the world safe from mutant and terrorist threats.

So, mutants, while they varied in abilities. Strength. Mindsets, Carol was not worried about any of it. She hadn't run into a problem her own abilities couldn't solve. She stared up at the Master Of Magnetism and the child mutant he had managed to brainwash. She looked young. Green. Fresh. She had seen it before. A tale as old as time. With the wrong guidance, she could've ended up the same._ 'But, I didn't.'_

She took a wide, defensive stance. "This needs to break up, and you _both_ need to come with me." Rogue looked between the agent and Magneto.

"Is she... An altered _human_?" Magneto shrugged, his frown deepening.

"I don't know, and I don't_ care_." His hands fizzled with purple energy. "Whoever it is, you aren't welcome here. I will ask once for you to leave." Dozens and hundreds of eyes glared at Carol, but she still wasn't scared. She had taken on hordes without breaking a sweat. She had been to other galaxies, other universes. She stood, unflinching, even as he displayed power.

"Yeah, I'm not going anywhere. _Rogue_," Rogue flinched hearing the strange name. It almost felt familiar. _'Who is Rogue...'_ "I know you're normally a good guy. Come with me, don't let him manipulate you further. A friend of a friend asked that I at_ least_ tried the peaceful way." Rogue eyed her in confusion.

"Ah'm... _Not_ Rogue." She lifted her hands and rocks and boulders lifted around them all. Magneto sneered. "Ah'm _Legacy_." The ground beneath Carol opened up and swallowed her, crushing her beneath rubble. Rogue hurled the rocks at her as well, watching as fine dust and debris rained everywhere. Carol shot from beneath the earth like they were sheets covering her.

Her face was still unruffled. "..Interesting. Are you done, _now_?" Magneto clenched a fist and raised it. Ore, iron, and mineral poured form the rock and stone around them. He fashioned them quickly into bullets and forcefully threw them at her. She stood, her hands on her hips as they deflected like she was covered in armor._ 'Who is this woman?_' He thought in disbelief. He didn't notice Mystique smiling behind them.

_'She is just as Destiny's diaries foretold...'_ The meeting of Rogue and Ms. Marvel had been prophesied at her birth. Mystique knew what she had to do, the part she needed to play. She ran forward, her hands cupped together. Remy glowered, not sure what she was up to but not trusting her for a second._ 'Need to watch her,'_ He thought, finding staying on top of this situation impossible.

"Daughter! You must _absorb_ her!" She cried. "Her defense is_ impenetrable,_ otherwise!" Carol's eyes narrowed as she eyed the shapeshifter. _'Mystique,'_ She thought, another one of Rogue's longtime manipulators. Now, she almost felt bad. Once people learned of her mutation, she was surrounded only by users and abusers._ 'No wonder it turned out like this...'_

Rogue turned back to the mysterious woman, her face unsure._ 'Ah... Ah... Don't want to touch her for some reason.'_ She thought, staring in her face. Magneto turned in utter shock.

"You _fool,_" He began. "Do you have any idea-"

"Would you rather she take you both_ in?_ Your attack didn't leave a scratch on her." He knew what the blue skinned woman was implying._ 'Have Blindspot fix it after._' For supposing to be Rogue's maternal figure, she was certainly ruthless, even by his standards. He found himself curiously angry for being so crude and careless with her (not that he was any different). He would have Blindspot fix what she had to, and he would feel guilty all the same.

Rogue flew higher in the air, Carol following. Remy, Mystique, and Magneto watched from the ground. Rogue screamed as pink, telekinetic butterflies appeared on her forehead. She launched them at Carol, who was surprised to feel she felt it. _'Hate psychics,_' She thought grudgingly. They were such a wildcard in the mutant scheme of things. They could be pathetic, they could be holy terrors. Rogue was not a psychic, though.

She was just mimicking. She pushed through the uncomfortable feeling swinging for Rogue. A massive beam of metal struck her before she could make contact. It threw her off course, but not out of the air. Both women looked back at the man, hovering menacingly with scrap metal behind him. Rogue was covered in an electromagnetic shield as he hurled all of it at the S.H.I.E.L.D agent.

She smacked the pieces away like they were toys, shooting forward. Straight for Magneto. "JOSEPH," Rogue screamed._ 'She calls him Joseph?'_ The situation was seeming more and more twisted the longer Carol was there. She slammed into Magneto hard, feeling the air woosh from his lungs. He slammed into the ground, leaving a crater.

_"Joseph!_" Carol went to attack him further when she felt something grip her. A vine, to be exact. The grip was tight as Rogue hovered before her, her skin steel. Clouds shrouded the area in darkness as thunder boomed, shaking the ground. Carol's brow furrowed.

"They weren't kidding when they said you do _everything._" She quipped, wiping her face with the back of her hand. She cried out as lightning struck her, testing her true invulnerability. She could handle it, but not for long._ 'She's strong, I underestimated her.'_ Screaming, she ripped free of the vine. Then, she shot forward fist first, knocking Rogue backwards.

When the hit connected her skin turned to normal, and when she hit the ground she smacked her head. Hard. Remy saw it connect with rocks and grew worried, real worried. _'She can't take hits like dat wit all da work Blindpsot been doin'.'_ He thought, concerned for her mental state. They were all in trouble if she lost it, and they had only Magneto to blame. Her head had been put through the ringer the past couple of days. Carol flew to the ground, walking forward as she eyed the crater Rogue made.

"Don't make me _hurt you_, Marie." She warned. Rogue looked up, but she wasn't Legacy. And she wasn't Rogue, either.

* * *

"Logan? Logan?" He heard Scott's voice already down the hall, he was on his way to him. "Have you_ seen_ this?" Footage was being leaked near Calgary. Some S.H.I.E.L.D Agent causing a ruckus during a Magneto demonstration. Jean flew down the spiral staircase, her eyes wide.

"I'm getting some crazy mutant mutant signatures near the border, you guys." She informed them. Scott looked between the two impatiently.

"Right," Logan cut in. "Let's pack up the jet, then."

* * *

Rogue's head was just a fishbowl filled with discombobulated memories. Fragments of moments that made sense once, but didn't _now_. White hair, silver claws. Red glasses. What did any of it mean? Rogue had smacked her head a little too hard to remember. But she felt the sky at her fingertips. Minds were just doorways she could walk through. She could make grass grow, clouds rain. Fires burn.

She scrubbed her hands over her face, her grey eyes bulging out of her head. _'Wh-Who am I?'_ She thought, praying the memories and echoes would settle somewhere. _Anywhere,_ so she could make sense of them. The lady in all black who was in great shape stalked forward. _'I-Is she after me?'_ Rogue stood, feeling herself shrouded in a hood.

"Don't make me_ hurt you,_ Marie." Rogue frowned._ 'A-Am I Marie?'_ She wondered. She crouched defensively, like she was an animal being cornered. '_Wh-Who's...'_

"Touch her!_ Absorb_ her, Rogue! Do it!" Rogue turned dumbly to stare at Mystique. For some reason, her carrying on was familiar. _'M-Mother?'_ She looked so urgent, angry. Bossy. _"Do it,_ Rogue! Touch her,_ now!_" She was tugging on an unconscious Magneto in her arms. He looked familiar to Rogue, too. Carol was lifting her arm, preparing to swing on Rogue again.

"Rogue!" Remy cried out. Carol prepared to slam her fist but it was halted. Grunting with effort, Rogue pushed her hand forward. In shock, Carol's arm was repelled back._ 'W-What? She's strong enough to stop me?_' She clenched her jaw and pushed against the mutant, but an unseen force stopped her. Something happened that'd never happened before.

Beneath all the memories, all the powers, she knew were her own. She clutched her fists and felt herself glow with a faint, green light. Remy watched in horror, unsure of what else she could do. The X-Jet was landing close by but nobody paid attention. Not even Magneto, propped against Mystique's leg. Carol felt a strange sensation, a weird tug. She had been warned, heavily, about what Rogue could do. She could suck her dry, wield all her power and leave the world doomed.

But Rogue wasn't touching her, so why did she feel_ drained_? Soon, veins began to appear on Carol's face. She felt her memories being whisked from her mind. _'No, no! I didn't let her touch me!'_ She began to scream. An awful sound, Rogue began to wonder why she was screaming. What was happening._ 'Huh?'_

"Yes! Absorb her!" Mystique continued screaming as everyone watched in horror._ 'How can she cheer dis on..._' Remy wondered, fear and shock rendering him immobile. Useless. What could he do? Carol and Rogue battling was like watching goddesses fight. Gasping, Carol began to fall to her knees. Her eyes watered involuntarily as Rogue siphoned her life. Even without touch.

_'This can't be it...'_

"Danvers? DANVERS! Do _you copy!_?" A voice called over her communicator. "I've got my tech monitoring your vitals, what in the _hell_ is going on?!" A frantic voice called to her. "CAROL-"

The green hue surrounded Rogue as she felt Carol's might, her undeniable power flow_ into_ her. Tears streamed down Magneto's face as the X-Men ran over, shocked. "Raven," He sobbed. "What have you_ done_..."

"What _have I _done?!" She snapped, ignoring her own son. "You did this when you started playing God with her memories." She hissed. "I have made _good_ come from it." Her eyes rolling in the back of her head, Carol slumped to the ground in an unnatural position. The green light faded, and Rogue looked around. Whatever she'd done, it hadn't solved her problem. She didn't know who she was. Where she was. Or what was happening.

Now she was filled with_ more_ memories. New memories. What looked like that strange spy's memories. She smacked her temples as if that could alleviate the pressure. When Jean saw the scene she shut her eyes, a hand flying to her head. Logan scrambled beside her, Kurt and Scott at his side. It was hard to tell what happened. The camp was chaos, mutants running everywhere. The ground torn up in mounds, trees knocked over.

They shook their heads in disbelief at the woman at Rogue's feet. "What have you done." Logan breathed, chasing Magneto's stare. He wouldn't raise his eyes to meet it. Rogue stumbled back, her eyes wide and dark.

"Stay back," She demanded, her brain crushed with a million memories. _"Nnnggh,_ Ah said _stay back_!" She clutched her head and doubled over, a migraine attacking her suddenly. Jean cried out, overwhelmed with the mess in Rogue's mind. _'It's as if two psyches are occupying her one mind!'_ She thought, terrified what that could mean. _'Oh, Rogue...'_

Logan tried to creep close to the girl, to comfort her. She was not stable and she was in control of a lot of powers. "It's_ okay_, Rogue." He said softly. Rogue backed away.

"Who's_ Rogue?_" She demanded, memories springing to mind at the name. He seemed familiar too, somehow. Everything was familiar, but nothing made sense.

"We're here to _help_ you," Scott promised, stepping over from another side.

"You guys, I think something happened between her and that woman. There's... _Nothing_ in her mind. And-" Jean started.

"Way too much in Rogue's." Kitty finished grimly, trying to imagine what she was going through. Jean let silence answer, staring worriedly at their teammate.

"Let us help you," Logan begged. "_Please._" She looked around with terrified, grey eyes. Before he could react she flew forward. She knocked Logan back straight in to Bobby. Then, she stole the air. Ororo flew after her quickly, worried she would hurt herself or others.

"Please, accept our help!" She cried, the skies thundering. Yelling, Rogue reached out and grabbed the weather mutant's ankle. She swung her around and threw her at Jean. They both collided with the ground in a heap. Scott ran past and grudgingly shot an optic blast at Rogue. She threw her arms in front of her and they ate the blast.

_'What?'_ Scott looked up in confusion._ 'That was... Like nothing?'_ He remembered blinding Gambit momentarily. _'This makes no sense.'_ Screaming like a banshee, Rogue flew forward, blasting Scott, Kurt, and Kitty backward. Bobby shot ice at her feet but she flew to the sky again. She clutched her head and bellowed, tears still streaming down her face.

"Shut up! Help me! _Please!_" She screamed out to anyone who would listen. Jean shut her eyes, her teeth clenched in determination. The professor was better at things like this, but she had no choice. It was up to her now.

"Rogue's mind is under_ a lot of stress_," She reported, her eyes shut. "There's too much chaos in her mind to sort out, much less remember_ who_ she is." Logan growled, his rage becoming harder and harder to control. "I'm trying to alleviate the strain..." Rogue scrubbed at her eyes with her hands. The clawed mutant turned to Magneto, his eyes enraged.

"Happy now, _Erik?_ This what you_ wanted_? Damn near_ broke the girl,_" Rage rose inside of him like bile. Like vomit after a night of drinking shitty liquor. "Damn near _shattered_ her mind so you can feel important? Like you're doing something for _CHARLES_," His voice steadily rise. "Well, guess what. _Charles weeps_." He shuddered, feeling his hands shake with adrenaline.

Magneto said nothing, rising to the air to try and comfort Rogue._ "Legacy,_ you can handle this. You've touched hundreds of-" Lightning cracked dangerously close to the mutant. He looked at Rogue in shock, staring at how close she'd been to_ killing_ him. Her mind, her memories, none of it made sense. But one thing did. Magneto was responsible for the pain she was in, she_ knew t_hat.

"_You did this to me!_" She raged, her eyes piercing him. Just like his daughter's. "You_ used_ me, changed me! Made me _this_!" She screamed. _"A murderer."_ Rogue was covered in a purple haze that rendered her incapacitated instantly. Logan began to panic, realizing he was going to take her and escape. He leapt in the air, Kurt teleporting behind Magneto. He reached desperately for his sibling but a metal bar smacked him away.

Logan was repelled, stuck hanging to the wall. Stiff. Scott fired at him as he, Remy, Mystique, and Rogue were all surrounded by metal. In seconds, they were gone. Only Carol's limp body remained. She hadn't moved once since they'd arrived. In all the chaos he didn't realize that he recognized the S.H.I.E.L.D agent. _"No... Not..."_ He breathed, picking her up carefully. He struggled to keep his voice even. "Let's get Hank to look at her."

* * *

"Is she a _mutant_, Logan?" He sighed, his eyes transfixed on the blonde's face.

"She didn't have an X-Gene, if _that's_ what you mean." He answered, his mind buzzing with Hank's words. _'There is simply nothing of her left. All of it..._' He dared not finish the sentence. They all knew what happened. Logan's fist clenched involuntarily._ 'Why, damn it? Why her?'_ She had been put through nothing but endless pain, all for Magneto to feel important. _Self righteous._

The thought set trails of fire blazing through his blood. He looked at Jean, who was hoping he wouldn't ask any questions._ 'Never could lie to him...'_ She thought bitterly. She didn't need to be a psychic to know Ms. Danvers would not be waking up.

"How is she, Red." He looked at her, his eyes solemn like a bloodhound's. Every day, he looked like he couldn't look any sadder. Then another day passed and he topped the record. He sighed deeply. "I mean,_ really_." Her mind was being tortured. It'd be a wonder if she could escape all of this without needing a white, padded room. It also put Wanda's being committed in a new light. Who was crazy? Her or her _father_? Did _he_ drive her crazy? Who knew. He scrubbed a hand over her face.

Jean is silent for an uncharacteristically long moment. "Rogue is strong." She answered, thoughtfully dodging his questions. "I... Wouldn't worry." Yes, her psyche was under unimaginable amounts of stress, but it kind of always was. If anyone could survive this with their sense of self, it would be her. The man tried to let that comfort him.

"I gotta contact Fury... Stark..." He was not looking forward to talking with the agency. This wasn't going to be easy to tell them. _'And if they blame Rogue, she'll never be safe.'_ But it _wasn't_ Rogue, this was the result of Magneto's selfish, dangerous actions. Would anyone else see that way? The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to put Magneto down.

Jean sensed his unrest and leaned her head against his. "We have to _believe_, Logan. If the professor were here, I think that's what he'd say." It was then he realized how much he missed Charles, how just hearing the man's voice helped them all sleep better at night.

"Thanks, Red." He sniffed, standing abruptly. Magneto had to be stopped. At all costs.

* * *

Rogue picked a massive test tube up like it was a feather and hurled it across the room. Her psyche seemed fractured, not her normal self nor 'Legacy.' The problem was, she had _access_ to all of her powers. The contact with Ms. Marvel had fractured her fragile mind after all the stress. Logan's bone claws out, she swiped angrily at Piotr every time he came near.

Remy was driven to a corner, his staff the only thing he had to protect him against Rogue's rage. He was in complete denial of what he was seeing. _'God... What if she get stuck like dis... Because what he... What I...'_ He shook his head, feeling a chill as Rogue screamed. Even as a holy terror, she was so beautiful. Her uniform hung off of her in tatters, the hood lost long ago.

It was painted on her like wet, green paint. Little cuts in the process of healing all over her. Her grey eyes rolled wildly in her head, memories of a life that wasn't hers flowing through her head. Magneto used an electromagnetic shield to protect himself, Pietro, and Wanda behind him. Once she'd woken up in Genosha, she hadn't stopped screaming.

It was Magneto's punishment, he was certain. It reminded him of when Wanda was young, inconsolable, and he was a new widower. He was never less equipped to deal with that, and he had to live with his decision forever. How did he create the same thing? An unstable, volatile creature. Did the ends justify the means _now_? Was she still the woman he was falling in love with? A sad part of him answered yes, but he ignored it.

_"Anna!"_ He tried, and her name triggered a memory. A confusing one she didn't quite understand. But a memory. She looked into the white haired man's eyes in shock.

"You_ did_ this..." She stood, finally calm. Finally still. "You..._ You_ had that girl change mah memories." The rage, the insanity, the unstableness. Even the parallels to his daughter, he could get through. He would get over. He could see through. But it was that hurt, hateful, disappointed look in her eyes. That she knew he'd taken advantage of her. And he had, as much as he claimed to care about her. And he hated that he could not deny or defend any of it. If she ever got away from him, he knew this would be the price.

"You made me _kill._.." She looked around the lab in shock, both Piotr and Remy avoiding her stare. "You killed her-"

"That was never my intentio-"

"It was to_ control_ me? Use me to start your little war, knowing I pledged mah life to _Charles!_" It sounded awful when he thought about it, but even worse as she said it. "Ah wanna hear it, Magneto. Ah wanna hear your_ excuse."_ He burned under her gaze, unsure what he was supposed to say. Rogue screamed and collapsed suddenly, Sam standing sadly behind her.

"I think I can do something about those memories without harming her." She said, grimacing at Rogue on the ground. Remy tucked his staff away with a curse. Magneto steeled his face over, his eyes going blank. Something had to be done. He had to clean up the mess he'd made. "Someone will have to do something about that woman's psyche, though. My memories won't be a fix forever." She gave Magneto an urgent look but he turned and whisked away without a word.

Wanda and Pietro followed, both shaking their heads. Remy and Piotr looked at the chaos around them and Rogue on the floor. Piotr started to speak but Remy held his hand up.

"Don't." He insisted. "Jus'_ don'_."


	10. Chapter 10

"S.H.I.E.L.D. picked up Carol's body," Jean said as she entered the kitchen with a sigh. "There's some top secret procedure... Anyways, they are... _Hopeful_." She tried to sound hopeful as well, but her intuition as a psychic made that difficult. She smoothed out a striped t-shirt with an 'X' on it. Rogue had so many hurdles ahead of her, if she made it that far. Kitty was sitting with disinterest in front of a bowl of cereal, Scott was trying to distract himself with the newspaper. And failing.

"What was that, Jean?" He mumbled, looking at the latest news column trashing mutants. She sighed again as Logan entered, his face sagging from stress. Carol had been an ally, a colleague at one time. He'd fought alongside her before he found his place at the institute. She wasn't everybody's cup of tea, but she didn't deserve this. Now, Magneto's trespasses had hurt her dearly. She knew he blamed himself, she didn't need to read his mind to be able to tell that.

He stopped at the counter and froze, forgetting what he even wandered in there for. He wasn't sure why he did much of anything these days. It was going on a month since Rogue had been gone, and it was anyone's guess what else she'd been put through. "Take some more bites of the cereal, Katherine." He ordered without sparing her a look. It was soggy, but she had no energy to complain. So, she obeyed.

"When was the last time you _slept?_" Jean worried. She knew he was up at all hours of the night worrying. Just worrying. Trying to think of how he'd ever smooth over their relations with S.H.I.E.L.D. He grunted in response, waiting to start making coffee when Kitty grudgingly ate a spoonful.

"I'll sleep when I'm_ dead,_ Jeannie." He answered, staring into the coffee beans. She placed a hand on his broad shoulder.

"We're all thinking about her. She feels us, Logan. She'll find her way home." He tried to smile but his facial muscles were just too heavy. He patted her hand awkwardly and continued making the coffee. _'What's home to her, anymore?'_

* * *

"She barely _fuckin'_ stable, an' he-"

"Piotr_ knows_, Remy." The Russian admitted quietly. Rogue was becoming increasingly fragile and Magneto had been scarce. He was often off base or locked in his lab, constructing something. Blindspot's work seemed to have finally dissolved Rogue of any lingering aggression or instability. She was as calm, stable, and sweet as before. Until someone else touched her, that is.

She also found herself invulnerable and able to fly without conjuring up an ability. A degree of Carol Danvers' inhuman strength, flight, and armored skin were as natural as Rogue's leech mutation. She seemed to have no conflicting issues with Ms. Marvel's memories. With Magneto so busy, Remy found himself responsible for the mutant.

Piotr could tell he didn't mind, he just didn't want to get anymore hopelessly involved than he already was. And Magneto's behavior was distressing. He'd gone from being borderline obsessed with Rogue to avoiding her like the plague. He was up to something, something that made him want to stay away from her. _That_ made Remy nervous, real nervous. He tried not to let his mind wander, but the man's words about his own daughter rang in his head.

As he watched her lay peacefully, more peaceful than she had been in days, felt his stomach sink. He had half a mind to barge in and ask Magneto himself. As if he was owed an answer. _'Rogue certainly is._' He can't shake the tortured, haunted look in her eyes when she had those moments of lucidity. Know she had killed, carried out Magneto's plans... _'It's no different than Apocalypse.'_ They would haunt him like a lot of other things. She sighed in her sleep, a sight that tugged at Remy's hidden heart strings. How was she so endearing? It was that no matter what, she was a fighter. Rogue never gave up.

He supposed it was good, considering the hell she'd already been through. Kids her age should be at college parties, she was risking her life for the world. Being used to start wars. He reached out hesitantly and touched silver hairs. Piotr watched in discomfort. It was so obvious how much he cared, but he refused to acknowledge it. To do_ something,_ no matter how bleak it was.

_'Sad enough to be Russian love poem,'_ He thought, trying not to get caught staring.

* * *

He had no choice. Her instability could be a result of Blindspot's work, his tampering, for the _rest of her life_. She was now as dangerous as Wanda was. Perhaps way more. No, he _knew_ so. He just didn't want to believe it. And he'd locked up his own daughter for far less. Why did god mock him, punish him like this? Give him the opportunity to create this ideal object of his affections and then make him strike her down? It didn't matter, he loved a ghost. An echo that wasn't the _real_ Rogue.

He could love the real Rogue, too. If not for her tenacity. But she already despised the man, now she would hate him until her dying breath. And she had every right. Love was never part of the plan. He was never supposed to fall for the side effects of Blindspot's memory manipulation. He was supposed to_ know_ better, always. With a scream he threw his arm.

The metal tools and parts clattered against the wall, falling to the floor. A mess was all over the floor of his lab. He covered his head in fear, tendrils of white hair falling through his fingers. What is it called when you become a monster while trying not to be one? It didn't matter, now. His transformation was complete.

He was the monster, Magneto. And it was up to him alone to stop Rogue. He stared at the scraps of the REBIRTH machine. He knew he had to do this, but why didn't he_ want_ to?

"What is that for?" He turned to see Mystique standing there. She was looking skeptically at his creation and the mess of his lab. "That... _Rebirth_ crap? You're not putting Rogue in there, I hope. Because if you think so, you have another thing coming." She wagged a finger at him. He levitated the tools from the ground.

"Raven," He said, his voice flat. "I'm glad you are here." She watched the scrap metal rise behind him. "We need to talk." She began to feel defensive.

"About _what_?" She spat, she didn't want to talk to the man. She'd been thinking about taking Rogue and running for a while, now._ 'His antics are going to get her killed...'_ She thought, thinking of the man's failing mental health.

"About my plans." The metal angled at her. "It appears I've made a mistake. A grave..._ Mistake._" Fear flashed in the blue mutant's eyes. "My plan... To expect her to withstand... I was a_ fool_. And _my_ decisions must be dealt with." He sounded like a madman, driven mad by grief. She didn't like the way the conversation was going, it sounded final. Like he regretted what he had to do.

"Speak _clearly_, what is it you mean?" She demanded, backing away slowly. A metal slab flew towards her but she kicked it out of the way. "Damn it, Erik! You _bastard_!" She was slammed with a rod and held to the wall.

"I predict you not supporting my plan." She watched as she was encased in a metal cell.

"_What the-"_

"Forgive me." With that, he hovered away.

"ERIK!"

Remy and Piotr watched as he shut the door, silencing Mystique's cries. They had plenty of questions but they both knew better than to ask. He flew past them both without so much as a glance and right to Rogue. He was up to something. They both knew that, and they didn't like it. He stooped down to Rogue's bedside, his hair cropped short like it used to be.

"Legacy?" He called softly. Her eyes fluttered open. She smiled and he exhaled. _'She's herself...'_

"Your hair..." She whispered. He tried to smile.

"I'm glad you are feeling alright."

* * *

"I don't want any S.H.I.E.L.D agents..._ Any _Avengers involved. _We'll_ get Rogue back, _we'll_ take care of her. _We'll_ stop Magneto." Scott insisted, his glasses glinting pink. He was starting to grow a stubble on his chin. Jean secretly liked it. He had just been neglecting to shave as things devolved into more and more chaos. Two close calls triggering Gabbi into violence over perfume, Kitty stress phasing, Kurt's refusal to teleport to name a few things. It hadn't been a peaceful month, and they didn't need strangers poking around.

Logan scoffed. "Rogue _inadvertently_ took out one of their own. We're lucky they haven't sieged the _institute,_ yet." Something about his voice worried Jean and Scott, like they still might. "_I'll_ parlay with them, keep them satisfied with progress so they won't be _sniffin_' around us." He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "We just gotta make some serious progress. If Magneto is the cause of this, they want it taken care of. _Now_. I'm talkin'_ hours_ to get Magneto apprehended and Rogue safe in our care. I don't want them looking at her as a threat."

Both the younger mutants' faces became grim. "Just, you let me worry about them. I'll handle S.H.I.E.L.D-"

_"Hey,_" Kitty interrupted, phasing her head through a nearby wall. "I think I've found something! There's an emergency meeting on Ellis Island in two days, all the United Nations leaders will be present." Her eyes looked brighter than they had all month. That, alone, gave Logan a little hope. They all three exchanged glances.

"_Exactly_ the kind of place Erik would crash." Logan deduced darkly. Kitty nodded furiously.

"Good thinking, Kitty." Scott, congratulated as his mind worked.

"We'll start running simulations. We'll be there." Jean said firmly, looking to Scott. Logan nodded, feeling a rush of determination. They would overcome this and get their friend back.

* * *

"What do ya mean _strange?_" He watched her curiously as she levitated metal spheres around her. Remy still found himself amazed by how Rogue could control so many powers. She seemed okay since absorbing Carol. She hadn't asked any questions, so he didn't have to think of explanations. He was grateful for that. She turned and looked at him with those eyes, so close to green.

She stared at him, a white scarf tied decadently around her neck. She was so beautiful. And terrifying. He dropped his stare like he was a modest man. She pulled her growing locks into a low ponytail. "Jus', I dunno... A lil_ strange_. Stress, prolly." He looked back up at her. "Jus', be _careful._" Rogue shrugged, a smile replacing her features.

"Ah'm safest with you n'Joseph." His stare darkened and she tried not to notice. She hoped it wasn't competition, jealousy. They both occupied irreplaceable parts of her heart. One couldn't compete with the other. She didn't expect men to understand that, though. She wasn't just a woman. She was _Legacy._ She couldn't have children, that would keep her from fighting the fight Joseph has told her about all her life.

She felt the same about relationships, even if she had a lot of feeling for both men. Her devotion was to her cause, for mutantkind. For a dream she couldn't remember.

Remy frowned as he approached them, standing at the opening of the training room. Rogue smiled, but the cajun spoke first. "Boss, forgive me. Could Remy ask ya somethin'?" He was clearly annoyed by the request, but Rogue was already hovering towards the door.

"Talk! Ah'll go inside." She disappeared before Magneto could protest.

_"Gambit?_" Said Magneto when she had cleared the room. He wasn't sure what they had to discuss. Remy frowned.

"Yeah, Remy wanted to_ ask_... What's goin' on?" Magneto's scowl deepened.

"Excuse _me_?" Remy squirmed.

"Yeah, Ah mean... Ya been different lately. Treatin' me and Piotr differently. Treatin' _Legacy_ differently." His eyes narrowed even further.

"Differently?" He pressed. Remy steeled his face.

"Oui," Magneto pressed his lips into a grim line.

"I suppose I should've known you'd notice. Come with me." Remy was shocked the man had invited him to his chambers and lab. He hadn't paid the southerner much mind at all, and certainly not since Rogue had come._ 'Why he spillin to me now?_' He followed after silently, growing more and more suspicious along the way. What he revealed was a strangely shaped machine, one Remy wouldn't step into.

"This is a modified REBIRTH machine." Magneto explained flatly. Remy nodded slowly. "I've reworked it to harness the X-Gene of the user, amplify it into wave. A wave that does what?" He gave Remy a chilling look. "One that transforms non X-Gene carriers _into_ one." The southerner's blood went cold. _'Isn't dis what Apocalypse wanted?_' He thought, the irony like on him. _'He lost it.'_

"So ya gonna complete Apocalypse's plan by hoppin' in dat machine?" He crossed his arms. "Don' sound like _you_." Magneto was silent for a long moment. "Wait," Remy's face paled ten shades lighter. "Non, ya wouldn't... _You_-"

"She's too powerful, Remy._ I have_ made her too powerful..." Remy's heart began to beat faster. "She has to be dealt with-"

_"Non, you_ need t'be dealt with!" Remy screamed, finally flying off the handle after standing by and watching Magneto make a mess. "You _did_ dis!" Rage rose inside him like flames. If anyone deserved to die, he was looking at them.

"If she lapses out of control do you have any idea _what she could do_?" He was silent. Rogue was extremely dangerous, and she may never be stable thanks to his and Blindspot's alterations. "Do you_ think_ I want to do this to her? _Her_? She is the _one_, I mean every single word I_ say_ about her. She is everything." He snarled, his eyes black. Remy could hear the _'To me'_ hanging off the end of the statement. "She is the_ lifeblood_ of mutantkind. She is_ all of us_, and I was careless. I made her unstable to stroke my ego..."

Remy shook his head in shock. He never thought Magneto would admit any of this out loud. "Ya wrong, she not beyond help._ You are_." Magneto shook his head.

"I have been searching for a way to undo what I did. To _fix i_t... If there was I would do it, if only to keep Legac_y with me_." Both men were silent. "She poses a threat to the world, maybe this universe. She cannot..." He cut himself off. "I should have known." His face steeled over suddenly. "Everything I touch _dies,_ but from these ashes will rise Charles' dream." He rose, powering the machine on as Remy watched, speechless.

"Legacy's use will render her power_ neutralized._" He continued. Remy balled his hands into fists, fed up with Magneto's bullshit.

"Ya mean it'll kill her, ya _bitch_. Runnin' away from da mess ya started! Ya not a real man, Magneto. She more of a man than you." The metal in the room faced him, and he whipped out his staff. As expected, it was wrenched from his grasp.

"Does this get in the way of our agreement?" Remy scoffed.

"Consider it_ canceled_." He said, a sneer upon his face. Magneto's eyes glowed yellow.

"Then you should go, Remy LeBeau." He didn't need to be told twice. He hit the ground running. He had to get to the X-Men. Now. And he had to get Rogue there. He sped out of Magneto's lab and up the stairs. Piotr paled. He'd never seen Remy move so fast and deliberately in his life. He tore through every room but she was nowhere to be seen. And neither was Blindspot_. 'What? Where are dey?'_

"Rem-" Piotr followed after him, his confusion growing. "What is-"

_"C'mon_ Pete," He gasped, bypassing his things. "It's time to go. To dat school." He dropped some plates with a clatter_. 'She not here,'_ He thought desperately.

_"Bozhe moy_..." He breathed, forgetting his items and following Remy right out the door.

* * *

The scent woke him from a dead sleep. After some pleading from Kitty, Logan had settled into a cat nap. But his nose alerted him to something. Something important._ "Acolytes,"_ He breathed, flinging the blanket Jean had placed over him on the floor. He tore, faster than anyone expected him to be able to move on so little rest. His claws were flung out, Laura falling in line beside him on the way.

Jean noticed him rush past, her and Scott following after him. "Wolverine," Scott began in a warning tone.

"Logan?" Jean tried, hovering slightly. Kitty poked her head through a wall, phasing through when she saw that something was clearly up. Logan ripped the front door open so hard he was surprised it didn't come off. Laura let out a hellish growl that attracted Gabbi from deep within the mansion. Logan held her back with a broad arm, homicide in his eyes as he glared at the cajun and the Russian.

Piotr immediately fell to his knees, ready to beg for forgiveness. Remy froze, waiting to meet Wolverine's steel claws. He couldn't say he didn't deserve it for what he allowed to happen. He flinched, closing his eyes and waiting to be disemboweled. When nothing happened, Piotr spoke.

_"Please, forgive us._" Logan wasn't sure what he wanted to say or do as Kitty, Jean, and Scott met at his back.

"Ohmygod," He heard the former valley girl exclaim. Scott opened his mouth to complain but Jean held up a hand. Piotr shuddered.

"Only reason Piotr _allow,_ Piotr become _Acolyte._.. Piotr has _sick sister._ Sick sister in Russia, Magneto paid bills." He felt very embarrassed as he was close to tears thinking of Illyana. He would rip apart anyone who did things half as bad to her as what Magneto had did to Rogue._ 'They should hate us both, very much.'_ He thought bitterly, waiting to be turned away.

Kitty stooped down with a kind smile. "We kind of figured as much, I tracked his financials." She told him, a small hand on his shoulders. "Large sums being sent monthly to Siberia."

"Don't see you drivin' any _mustangs_." Logan scoffed, but his eyes were soft. "Stand up, Peter." He grumbled, his arms folded.

"The professor left... A _considerable_ amount of money for occasions like this!" Jean explained, drunk off having good news in a sea of very bad. "We can... We can help you a_nd_ your sister with that, she could even come here. We'll keep you safe from Magneto, we promise." She said, unable to hide her grin. Scott smiled sheepishly beside her, she was much better at these things.

Logan's hard stare landed on the southerner. He had no sob story, no big reason for why he was a piece of shit. He simply had no better employment opportunities. No reason he watched Rogue suffer. "What about _you_, Gumbo? Wizard of Oz grant you a _heart_?" Ouch. Logan's words stung the New Orleans native. Because he _did_ care about Rogue, and he would never see that, now. "_Tired_ of watching Magneto pick on a_ little gi_r-"

He moved towards him but Jean held him back. "Easy, Logan. I'm an empath. He feels bad." She sent him her own disappointed look. "We need all the help we can get." Scott sniffed sharply.

"I don't like it either." Blackmail he could forgive, understand. But Remy was a mercenary. He had taken Rogue before, and he stood by while Magneto violated her. He wouldn't soon forget it. Remy burned under their gazes, wondering if he had the nerve to see helping her through. He thought about her face, trapped in an endless dream of fake memories. He sighed. Some hazing was long overdue.

"Remy want to make amends." Now Logan snorted, but a glare from Kitty and Jean silenced him. They all knew Rogue would pass that judgement when the time came. And that helped Logan sleep at night.

"Just come in." Logan growled. "You're gonna talk. You're gonna spill everything you know." Both former Acolyte's swallowed. "Kitty, get Kurt, Ororo, and the rest of the team." They watched as she took off running through walls to find them. Piotr and Remy settled on a maroon couch as more and more mutants gathered. Some familiar, some not. The Russian cleared his throat awkwardly.

"What has Magneto done?" Scott asked slowly. Both men paled.

"He's..." Piotr thought carefully of his words.

"De girl," Remy cut in. "_Petite les yeux_, she change Rogue memories. As far as she concerned..." His red and black eyes floated to the ground. "Her name is Legacy. She... It is her purpose, her _cause_ to unite de mutant race." Logan's snarl interrupted him.

"No matter what." Piotr added glumly.

"He made her believe he was her mentor, like Xavier was to h-" Remy paused when he heard Logan's claws come out. His eyes were black. They knew Magneto would try to justify this hair-brained scheme with Charles' memory, but this had gone too far. To try to replace him to the girl was unforgivable. Logan was shaking, his eyes dark too. The team burst into murmurs amongst themselves.

"So anything Magneto ask, Anna will do." Piotr explained earnestly. Jean and Kurt looked at each other.

"That's... That's not _good._" Kurt said, feeling frustrated a he clenched his fists. The telepath offered a hand on his shoulder.

"Okay, so do either of you know of any plans? What Magneto wants to do_ next_?" She asked. Now Remy went a little green as he remembered the mutant's crazed eyes. Logan noticed the expression.

"What is it," He breathed. Remy sighed.

"Ever heard of a REBIRTH machin-" Kurt grabbed him by the trench coat before he'd finished speak.

_"Vhat is he planning to do vith it!_ Tell us!" He cried, his eyes wild. Logan and Scott gently peeled him off Remy, who didn't seem to mind the outburst.

"Easy," Logan sighed. Remy's face darkened.

"He, he _said_... He said some crazy stuff." He mumbled, strangely reluctant. "He changed it. It don' amplify X-Gene's anymore. It make dem a ray, a ray that kin transform_ non X-Gene carriers_... To..." Kurt released his iron grip on his coat and fell back into Logan's arm. Scott stared at them, tried to discern if this was some sort of trick or trap.

"What? Are you_ serious?"_ Kitty asked, forcing her way to the front of the crowd. Bobby frowned beneath a crop of yellow hair.

"Isn't this_ exactly_ what we stopped Apocalypse from doing?" He groaned, his arms crossed. None of this made any sense. Remy sighed.

"He said..." He looked at Piotr. "He made her too powerful. Dat..." He squirmed, working Logan's last nerve. "Dat de machine would kill her, _neutralizing_ de threat he created when he unlocked all her powers..." Logan tore away with a snarl, angry tears behind dark eyes. _'He's gonna steal her away from us, change her, and then kill her?'_

_"Who the fuck does he think he is?"_ Remy's face steeled.

"Remy dunno." He sniffed sharply. "Remy should've done somet'in a long time ago. Piotr had a family to think about, Remy only thought of himself. Dat it wouldn't get dis bad. It did. Remy's _sorry._" Logan stared at him with an unreadable expression..

"I bet he wants to test that technology at the summit on Ellis island." Scott said, throwing a few papers on the table, already feeling defeated.

"Let's not panic," Jean tried, seeing the worry on everyone's faces.

"We're past panic, Red." Logan responded, his claws still out. They had to think of a plan. And fast.


	11. Chapter 11

Magneto had been watching the storm rage in the distance for some time now. Eventually, in her hood, Rogue joined him. She watched, the dark clouds rumbling above them. "Do you want it to stop?" She asked, memories of a white haired woman plaguing her mind. She doesn't remember_ who_, or _how_, but she knows she can control it. Nature. She feels the storm as it goes on on her fingertips.

He doesn't look at her, which surprises them both. "No, it's kind of beautiful. In a destructive way." _'Like you_,' He thought, stealing a glance at her. She smiled in agreement, letting herself get pelted with massive raindrops. He watched the moisture trail down her face, down her lips. She sensed that Joseph was in a mood, but she said nothing. He seemed to be grappling with himself, trying to make some impossible choice. He was so intense at times. His purple cape clung to his back with moisture.

"We need to talk," He told her finally. The United Nations summit was the next evening. She nodded, her eyes saying 'anything'. "As you know, they killed those children. In cold blood." Rogue dropped her gaze somberly. She never forgot it. The thought haunted her constantly. "We need to do something. For them. For _all_ of them, all the mutants who can't do it for themselves." She nodded, agreeing.

"But _what_, Joseph?" He hovered through the rain and she followed, hesitantly lifting to the air.

"I'll show you," He entered his lab where the modified REBIRTH machine laid. Rogue stared at it curiously, wondering how it would help mutantkind gain a safe space to exist. The hairs along her arm began to stand on end, she couldn't ignore it. Magneto waved his hand and the lights powered on. "This machine harnesses the latent power of the X-Gene." Rogue frowned when she didn't understand.

"You will use it to attack?" She asked, her voice quiet. It was the wrong time, the worst time, but Magneto placed his hands on her face and brought her lips to his. The electromagnet barrier protected him from her mutation, and their lips met without conflict. Rogue was so confused, so worried, but she shut her eyes and surrendered to the feeling. Never had she gotten a kiss before, not like this.

She broke apart from his, her face red. "_Joseph_," She gasped.

"You are everything I ever wanted." He insisted, boring into her with dark eyes. "And everything I_ need_ to ensure that mutants will never have to hide, have to _worr_y," His stare hardened and he gripped her face tighter. "Have to _die_, Anna. You, only _you_ can change that." He dropped a hand and grabbed hers. "Everything I've taught you, told you..." He watched the recognition in her eyes, meaning Blindspot's work had worked. "Now, it's time to put it all to the test." She placed a trembling hand over his own, and nodded.

"Ah understand." A single tear streamed down her face. He looked away from her as she stared at him like she used to look at Charles. His stomach began to ache. "Ah'll do it." Her brow furrowed in determination. "_We'll_ do it." He nodded, staring into eyes as grey as the sky.

"I knew you would." The man clutched a fist tightly. He looked back towards the REBIRTH device. "You are the only mutant alive powerful enough to complete this. To do what I need it to do." Her gaze dropped. Rogue wanted to fight for mutant rights, but she did not want to fight humans. Hurt them. Joseph was kind, but he believed in doing what had to be done.

"What do you need it to do?" His eyes steeled over.

"What I have changed the machine to do is to change others into X-Gene carriers. Mutants." Rogue jerked away from him suddenly. This sounded eerily familiar to her, and she didn't like it.

_"Josep-_"

"If the most important people in the world_ become_ mutants, they have no choice but to_ advocate for us,_ Anna. I know it's extreme, but they murdered mutant _children_ on live television." She was silent, tears glittering behind her eyes. "They _started_ this war, and there is a war going on now. We made a move of peace, to free the Weapon X children." He wiped at a tear gathering in the corner her eye. "They_ chose_ to kill them. They _chose_ this retaliation." She placed her hand over her heart and he placed a hand overtop hers. "Don't bare that gentle heart, Legacy. They will _cut it_ out of you."

She looked away, her stare cast at the ground. She trusted him, more than anyone, but this didn't feel right. It didn't feel like what she really believed in. She believed in peace for her kind, she remembered him telling her that, once. She placed a hand on her head, conflicted by what her mind was telling her and her heart felt. "Anna?" She looked back into charcoal eyes. "Will you do this?" She looked down at hands covered in emerald green gloves.

"Ah'll do it." She said softly. _'For you.'_

* * *

"Piotr think we should continue..." The Russian mumbled, looking to the other Acolyte like a dog who got in the trash. Before Remy could respond, Logan yanked him by the jacket.

"Holdin' _out_ on us?" He snarled, staring closely into the man's strange eyes.

"N-Non," Remy held up his hands defensively.

"He is trying to be..._ Respectful_." Piotr looked around at the mutants fearfully. "Kind." He corrected. Remy had a wealth of things to say about the inappropriateness of Magneto and Rogue's relationship. He assumed another identity to deceive her, altered her memories to make her dote on him, and takes advantage of how isolated she feels by_ touching her._

Scott and Logan looked at Piotr and noticed the darkened expression on Remy's face. Logan released him. "What is it?" Scott asked them breathlessly. Kitty couldn't believe when Piotr Rasputin's face became bright red, as though he were embarrassed. _'He's so modest,'_ She thought, hating the airy quality to her head voice. She had always found him dreamy.

"He assumed a whole differen'_ identity,_" The southerner began. "She call him_ Joseph._ What Remy thinks is, dey would rule the mutant resistance. King and queen..." Remy wasn't a modest man, he could make any girl or guy in the institute blush if he tried. But even he felt his cheeks burning hot, thinking of the way Magneto would gaze at her. The way he had her changed so she gazed back. His deep dislike and jealousy about it all, it was a flood of a lot of feelings. _"Together,"_ He finished.

Eventually, they began to understand what he meant. All Logan could think about was Magneto forcibly touching his hand to Rogue's face. _"Son of a bit-"_ In a fit of fury, Logan's claws shattered a flower pot. Ororo only sighed, knowing it was pointless to try and reprimand him now. Remy and Piotr watched awkwardly as each team member began to understand what he was trying to say.

Kitty shook her head. "Okay,_ ew."_

"Blindspot's memory manipulation has left Rogue very vulnerable, more vulnerable than usual. To her... Nothing makes sense_ except_ him." Jean explained solemnly. "He'll do anything to hang on to that feeling." Scott shook his head in disgust. Logan wiped a hand over his face.

"Okay, what do we have to do to bring her_ real_ memories back?" Remy sighed.

"Suppose we need t'get de girl to fix 'em. But, she loyal to Magneto." The hairy man growled.

"I can be persuasive." This earned a glowering look from Jean.

"She's younger than Kitty, Logan." He ignored her comment, looking into Remy and Piotr's eyes.

"But... She can fix her, put her back to normal. Without _harmin'_ her?" The fear is evident on Logan's face. Rogue had been through enough, he didn't want to put her through anything he didn't have to. It was hard to stand the girl looking at him like she feared him, hated him.

"Should be able to." Remy answered softly, pondering the same thing.

"So, ve vait for them to launch an attack on Ellis island?" Kurt asked, looking around slowly. They knew Magneto's plan, but they_ had_ no plan. Remy rifled a hand through his wild hair.

"You will not find him, after X-Man interrupt Blindspot process, he hid somewhere. Somewhere even we do not know." Remy nodded.

"Remy kinda spazzed instead of playin' it cool for intel," He admitted sullenly. "He prolly would've give me da axe anyway." Logan snapped, wracking his brain for a way to have a leg up on Magneto.

"Then, we stand sentinel during the summit. We don't have a choice. Magneto will come to dispatch of us first, we have to stop him and get Rogue then." Jean said simply. There weren't many other ways for it to go. This was was going to be Magneto's swan song, or he would succeed in completing Apocalypse's plans. Either way, they couldn't let that happen.

Logan clutched a fist, thinking about Rogue being manipulated into throwing her life away. _'Bastard... I wont' let him.'_ "We need to get ready to guard that summit."

* * *

Sam stared at Rogue's incapacitated form, laid on a bed. She'd never worked on someone's memories so frequently or extensively. _'There have to be side effects...'_ She thought, wondering if Rogue was actually okay. '_But... I work for him, not her. If he asks me to...'_ She tried to stop her train of thought. Remy and Piotr were gone, and she'd been seeing less and less of Wanda and Pietro, Magneto's_ actual_ children. Things were coming to a head soon.

"We cannot have any lapses once the machine is activated, Blindspot." Magneto watched her with his arms crossed. "Can you assure that?" The small girl tried not to shake.

"Y-Yes, I think so."

"See to it that you do." He turned and his cape flashed behind him. She huffed, working diligently to make sure Rogue's mind functioned smoothly. He was too engrossed in his lab, his endless researching and construction to sense that something was afoot. Sam didn't notice, Remy and Piotr used to watch her back when she did this.

Kitty phased Kurt in quickly and he grabbed her, covering her mouth. They teleported and disappeared, leaving Rogue alone. They ended up on the X-Jet, in front of Logan. Piotr and Remy stood behind him. "Good job Elf, Half-Pint." He turned his attention to the girl. "And _you_..." He revealed his claws and the girl cried out. "You're gonna tell us some things."

Kitty and Kurt watched grimly, hoping Logan's intimidation tactic did the trick. She glared at the other former acolytes. _"Traitors._" She huffed. Piotr sighed.

"Focus," Logan snarled. "Just _what_ have you been doing to Rogue's memories?" She avoided his cold eyes.

"Replacing them, with whatever Magneto tells me." Kitty crossed her arms.

"Can you set them back to the way they're_ supposed_ to be? Without hurting her?" She burned under the five pairs of eyes.

"I... I would need time. And she might hurt herself or others when she snaps back to reality of what Magneto-"

"And what _you_ have done, too." Kitty cut in, her jaw clenched. Sam looked at the ground.

"Look, I don't want to run these through you, so tell me something to convince me otherwise." Logan narrowed his eyes. "Tell me how you'll make this right."

"Best I could do is seed some truths... When it's ready to, it'll come out." Logan suppressed a growl.

"We runnin' outta time,_ mon ami._" Remy urged. Piotr nodded beside him. He grabbed the girl tight, looking in her eyes.

"You do just that. Or else. If this shit goes any more left with her," He leaned in deathly close to her face, sending a chill down her spine. "I'll hold you responsible for that. And you_ don't_ wanna know what happens then." He released her and she stumbled backward, shaking. Kurt teleported them back to the base and Kitty shoved her through the wall, right beside Rogue.

Magneto was so frenzied he didn't even notice their intrusion. She looked down at Rogue's sleeping form and covered her face with her hands. _'I'm fucked.'_

* * *

_"Was mutant registration enough? The world's leaders, all 193 members of the United Nations, will be at the summit today held on Ellis Island. The topic? What should we do about mutants and super powered persons? Is there anything to be done? This is precisely the kind of event the late professor Charles Xavier would have attended, possibly lead. Regardless of your stance on the topic, his insight and wisdom is something that will be sorely missed. For now, authorities pray for peace and would expect any mutant led demonstration there could lead to endless repercussions... Back to you, Linda." _

The Mutant Rights summit was the biggest news on every channel, especially in New York. The X-Men could barely escape it as they counted down, readying themselves for a fight that would be televised for the whole world to see. Scott found himself nauseated, like the first time he asked Jean out. She kissed his forehead in her familiar black and green X-Suit.

"This is big, Jean." He murmured, the team buzzing around them in the hangar.

"First big mission without the professor." She clued in, holding his face. "You're ready._ We're_ ready. We got this, Scott." He nodded, setting his jaw.

"You're right." He added with a head nod._ 'You have to be.'_ "I love you," He kissed her. "Thanks for talking me down." She tossed him a grin before heading into the X-Jet.

"What else am I here for?" She floated behind Ororo and began buckling herself in. They were all nervous. They were masking it with silence, or by talking a lot. However it was, they were all nervous. And for a lot of reasons.

'_What if we're too late?'_ The thought would not give Logan any peace of mind. Magneto intended to sacrifice Rogue to clean up the mess he made, and he had no reason to doubt his words. _'I'll kill the bastard myself, I swear.'_ Not even his anger and rage helped shield him from the deep worry settling in his chest. It wasn't going to be easy to get her back, and he wouldn't be much help coated in metal.

His stare wandered to Remy. He wasn't anywhere near strong enough, but Magneto didn't have the advantages over him that he did Piotr and the Weapon-X project. _'I don't want to, but I'm gonna have to leave some of this to him. I won't do Rogue much good with my skeleton torn out.'_ He would suffer through it if it would bring the girl home.

The flight continued in mostly silence, hoping the events of this confrontation didn't strengthen the grounds for the Mutant Registration act.

* * *

Both Rogue and Magneto hovered in the black sky, just out of sight of the cameras. She lifted a hand to disable them, but he stopped her. "No, child. Let the world see what the superior race is tonight." He told her, lowering her arm. He stared into the water bitterly. _'I must send you to your doom, the least I can make sure is that people remember you, Legacy.'_ He thought, wondering how he could go through with sacrificing her.

_'For the good of mutantkind.'_ He could tell from her affect that Blindspot's work was not top notch. It did not matter, when Rogue was dead she would wipe his mind and move on to a new job. That was how it worked for mutants like her. Nothing mattered much now. Pietro, Wanda, and Sabretooth got his contraption set up in Lady Liberty's torch without interruption. Just enough fog from Rogue did the trick.

Tears beneath dark eyes, he turned to her. "They will_ always_ fear us, Anna. _You,_ most of all." She turned to him, her eyes as black as coal._ 'It's consuming her...'_ He thought. The psyches, the abilities, the echoes. All of it. It was high tide, and she was being destroyed because of him. His lust for power. "You are _all_ of us. What is scarier to mankind?" He reached a hand out and touched her silvery hair.

"But we dreamt of_ peace.._." She answered, dozens of memories in her mind supporting that.

"We _wil_l have peace," He insisted, gripping her tightly. "Mutants will. Humans won't. It's the _only_ way."

"The only way..." She looked down at black, churning waters beneath them. She didn't know if that was true, all she knew is that she trusted him. He was all she knew. "We'll do it." Magneto brought her close and placed his lips gingerly on her forehead.

"I don't deserve you." He grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the Statue Of Liberty. He found himself shocked that the X-Men had yet to show. He had expected speeches, pleading. All sorts of things. Their silence showed that he'd truly overestimated them. _'Without Charles they are just as lost as I am.'_ He thought, reflecting on his late friend. He would hate all that he was doing. _'It's all for you, my friend.'_

Pietro and Wanda were waiting for him, the machine glinting in the moonlight. "Children," He began, his voice hard. "I need you to patrol the perimeter for X-Men, they have to have a presence here." He instructed, pointing to the right of him. The twins looked at each other.

_"Dad_..." Pietro began, his voice small.

"This has gone far enough." Wanda covered herself a blinding, crimson light.

"Lets... Get Legacy back to the base and figure something else." He looked at his father with guilty eyes. "Sam is in." Magneto didn't look the least bit surprised by the betrayal, not from his own children. He just looked between them, not saying a word. With a smack, a bar of metal collided with his son. The air wooshed out of his lungs and it slammed him onto the side of the faded, green statue.

Wanda screamed, red leaking out of her eyes. Rogue erected a green, electromagnetic barrier in front of Magneto in frenzy. He took the opportunity to catch Wanda the same way, slamming into her with a metal plate. She found herself pinned to the opposite side of the the Lady of Liberty, unable to affectively hex. "I have learned a few tricks, daughter. And I plotted for every betrayal."

Rogue looked at him, her eyes hurt. "Joseph,_ why-"_

"Jealousy. Because not everyone can understand what we_ know."_ He grabbed her hand. "Don't let them discourage you, we will do this." She nodded slowly, wondering how he could do that to his own flesh and blood. They both turned behind them when they heard a jerk and a sizzle. Sabretooth roared and there was a clatter. Then, silence. "Who is there! _Creed!_" Magneto called out, but nobody answered.

He hovered, Rogue following to find none other than Gambit crouched on the platform, panting._ "Chére,"_

"Remy?! Where have you bee-" She moved to run beside him but Magneto held up an arm, blocking him.

"Rogue," He began. "It's time fo' ya to rememba." Rogue's grey eyes went wide.


	12. Chapter 12

_"Remy?"_ Everything had felt so wrong without him by her side. Joseph had insisted it had to be this way, but she didn't believe him. The Remy she knew would never leave without a word, not unless he was made to. Rogue went to fly to him, to ask him where he'd disappeared to for days. Magneto held his broad arm in front of her, his face pinched in a scowl.

"You know that you are not welcome." He said coldly, his hands glowing with a purple light. Metal rose ominously behind him, but the cajun did not back down.

"Joseph, _no_!" She cried, moving between them both. "Stop this!" Remy glowered, he was counting on Blindspot to keep her end of the deal._ 'Otherwise, we ain' stoppin' nothin'.'_ But, she didn't seem to remember. She still seemed to adore him, the r_eal_ Rogue would not. He held a staff out, made from a plastic blend thanks to the professor_. 'Guess I'm winging it.'_

He jumped when Logan landed beside him with a thud. He knew he would be thrown into the waters below to sink, but he was hoping that his presence was enough to trigger Rogue's memory. Her real memories. They were running out of options. "_Anna Marie._" He growled softly, his eyes locked with Magneto's. _'His face..._' She thought, backing away. She remembered it all, finally. The team rescuing her from Canada, Logan offering her his hand in the jet.

Him rescuing her and the others from Sabretooth, them riding away from the military after the institute blew up. Him backing her up when Jean's powers manifested, him talking her off the ledge when her powers overwhelmed her. When she didn't know who or what she was, when nothing made sense in her life. He was always there.

The other memories, the memories of him chasing her. Threatening her, it was all fake. The fear, the rage. All of it. She had seen his beserker rages, those moments when he lost his humanity. He didn't scare her even then_. 'B-Blindspot... Sam...'_ All the memories of their friendship were lies.

The hugs, the talks, spending their childhoods being mentored by Joseph, none of it was true_. 'She could touch me, so Ah et her in. Ah'm such a damn fool...'_ Rogue thought, her mind shocked by the influx of memories. All three men froze as the images assaulted her mind's eye, one by one. Tears leaked down her face, her mouth open in a gasp of pain. She had never feared Logan, he was her closest confidante. He hadn't be chasing her, he'd been fighting to_ free_ her.

And Joseph... Rogue looked up with glossy eyes. _"Joseph?"_ She repeated, her voice shaking. "There _is_ no Joseph. Only Magneto." The mentioned mutant hovered, his eyes glowing yellow._ 'As I suspected, the whelp's work has failed us.'_

"You triggered her memories." He snapped, eyes boring into Logan. Remy grabbed on to his deck of cards quickly, but metal scraps from the REBIRTH console knocked him off the torch.

"_Swamp Rat!_" Logan screamed, reaching for him. "You," He shot his claws out, praying he could get enough momentum to attack.

"LOGAN," Rogue squealed as Remy topped over the edge. He didn't utter a sound as Rogue disappeared from his line of sight. The black of the sky swallowed his vision as his descent slowed. Jean's telekinesis sure was handy. He landed with an oomph in Warren's arms, soaring around the statue. He exhaled in relief, clinging to the winged mutant as the wind whipped them.

_"Merci,_" He uttered, staring up in wonder.

"No problem," Warren answered with a smile. "Gambit's been recovered." He called, swerving towards the team at the base of the statue. Remy began to wrench and wiggle suddenly.

"Take me_ back!_" He cried, reaching for the Statue Of Liberty's torch. "Wolverine need backup, he can' stop Magneto alone!" Warren didn't heed his request.

"We're gonna regroup on the bank and figure something out." He assured, his face serious. Remy's eyes didn't leave where Rogue was. Up there, Logan stood staunchly in front of Magneto. It didn't matter what else happened. He was taking Rogue with him.

"Give it up, Bucket Head. S.H.I.E.L.D has a nice, glass and plastic cell waiting for you. It's where you_ belong_." He moved closer carefully. "What Charles would want, at this point." The metal groaned as he spoke, making Rogue panic.

_"Stop it!_" She screamed at Magneto, but he wouldn't heed her "Leave him alone!" Logan cried out when he felt the metal on his frame vibrating, his claws bending in the wrong directions. "Ah said _STOP._" Logan dropped to the ground, the tension gone from his body. He looked up and Magneto was yanked in the sky, Rogue standing defiantly. in front of him. Tears streamed down her face.

Magneto looked so hurt, like he had the right to feel betrayed by her. It made Logan sick. It confirmed that this was what Magneto had to do. No matter what anybody else did. Without a word, he flicked his wrist around. Logan flew faster than Rogue could respond, over the edge of the statue. Leaving Rogue all alone. "_Damn it_," Ororo cursed, for a lot of the X-Men for the first time they'd heard. She took to the sky as Jean sighed.

"What is it?" Scott asked, his eyes straining to see what was happening.

"He knocked Logan over," She met his stare with worried eyes. "She's alone up there." Jean floated to the sky to keep Logan from falling. Everyone on the ground began to scream and cry when a white light began to shine from the statue's torch. Remy's hands flew to his head while Kurt and Kitty stared up in wonder. Piotr paced behind them.

"That must mean is working." He stressed, looking towards the United Nations gathering. At this point, they could see the glow. _'Magneto, he is a madman.'_ It was the only time he found himself cursing his metal skin. It had made him the magnetist's bitch for a while.

"What do we do," Remy looked around him helplessly. "Someone, get Remy up here."

"How?" Scott countered, watching both Jean and Storm in the sky. The southerner turned to Kurt.

"You?" He scratched his head.

"Ve can sure try." He clapped his hands onto Remy's brown trench coat.

* * *

"LOGAN," Rogue screamed, trying to fly forward to catch him. She felt her ankles captured by something, iron tentacles. She looked back in shock at Magneto restraining her._ "You,"_ He pulled and she was slowly tugged towards the machine he'd fashioned. Even with her super human strength, Rogue couldn't break free._ 'Why? What's wrong with me?'_

She tried with all her might to phase through, thinking of Kitty's memories now that she was herself. Nothing happened. "You have many powers, Anna, but I have done a lot of research with my one." She found herself covered in a faint, purple light. Seething, she shot an optic blast at the man. It was reflected an electromagnetic shield.

"W-What are you _doing?_" She hissed, glaring at him as he dragged her to the machine. Chains rose, wrapping themselves around her wrists, binding them to two levers on the console. She wrenched wildly, her eyes wide as she began to feel claustrophobic. Grey clouds covered the sky as thunder boomed. "_Let me go."_ She insisted breathlessly. No matter what she tried, she wouldn't be freed.

"Adamantium, dear." He told her apologetically as she tried to free herself. "And changing the magnetic properties of the particles around you can keep you from phasing or otherwise escaping these chains." She looked at him fearfully, her heart hammering in her chest._ 'He's going to fuckin' kill me.'_ She thought, pulling with all her might, anyways.

"Ya_ really_ think this will work?" She hissed in a rage. The chains clanked around her on milky wrists. It took everything in Magneto not to release her. It was like Jesus being crucified, it would serve mutant kind forever. "You are gonna kill the most important, _influential_ people in the world and everything is gonna descend into chaos!" Tears were gathering in her eyes at how futile it'd been. The irreparable things he'd had her do, the woman she'd killed. Just to die before making it right. "That's what ya want, isn't it?! Magneto, please don't... Don't do this. Is this was Charles would want?"

"I'm _sorry,_ Legacy." She watched in shock as he approached her, his hands gloveless.

"No." She insisted. "You get your_ self righteous ass_ in here and make the sacrifice for this cause! The one Charles made, the one he would make before he ever saw one of his children hurt!" She spat, wrenching like she were possessed.

"I'm sorry..."

"I'm ROGUE," She screamed in his fast, twisting. She spat on him as his hands connected to her face. For the millionth time, her mind erupted into memories. Memories that were not her own. The holocaust, seeing piles of dead bodies taller than mountains. Shoes and rings, too. Knowing the soot on your food used to be people, burned in the crematorium you cleaned.

She screamed, throwing her head up to the sky. "NO," With the remaining bit of his strength, Magneto powered up his creation, tears behind his own eyes. Rogue began to scream horribly as the device drew from her own power to run. A shining, silver light engulfed the torch, lighting up the night sky._ 'No...'_ She tried so hard to do good, be good, and she was forever used to make the worst things happen.

She cried out as the light washed over her, the silver in her hair shining brightly. Magneto watched from the ground, nearly incapacitated. _"Forgive me... Anna..."_

Jean nearly dropped Logan when she saw the Statue Of Liberty erupt into light. "NO," He snarled, reaching for it. Jean changed her direction quickly, sweat on her brow.

"Okay, we have to improvise. " She released him and he soared through the air, rocketing towards Magneto and Rogue. _'I'm going to get you onto the console, you must break the device to save Rogue and the people at the summit.'_ They both watched as the silver ray began to flow out over the water. Towards Ellis Island. _'Now, Logan. It has to be now, Scott's under order to take a shot if he has one.'_

Jean's voice scrambled Logan's head as he careened towards the light, hoping he got there in time. Rogue was shrieking, but at least she was still alive. It looked like Magneto had no juice left. Desperately, his fingers outstretched, he reached for the REBIRTH machine. _'Almost,'_ He thought, his chest feeling tight. Tears washed down Rogue's face as she sobbed, the last of her energy being drained. _'You hang on, Stripes_.'

He gripped the edge of the globe like structure and held on tight. He swung himself down to where Rogue was chained. Screaming, he raised his claws to sever the device. He felt himself be restrained at the last moment. _'NO,'_ Magneto was panting, his hands held up. Logan roared as his claws bent the wrong ways. All he could hear was the damn machine and Rogue's crying, it was killing him. He pushed, even against Magneto's magnetism.

Kitty watched from shore, her hand clasped in Kurt's as the ray rocketed towards Ellis Island. '_This can't work... It...'_ Scott squinted into the darkness, his vision making it almost impossible to aim._ 'I have to_,' He told himself harshly. Failure wasn't an option, the professor hadn't trained him to fail. He looked at the machine, and he knew a full blast from him with Rogue in there would kill her.

But, he could just make out Magneto's dark silhouette. Praying, he fired. His optic blast careened into the magnetist's back, sending him flying to the ground. Crying out, Logan's claws swung up and he demolished the former S.H.I.E.L.D technology. Chunks of metal and wires flew into the dark waters below. The ray stopped just short of the island, affecting nobody. People cried, prayed. Nobody had ever seen anything like it.

The X-Men and affiliated allies stood at the ground, staring up. What was happening? Had it worked? Somebody tell them something.

Breathless, Logan's eyes adjusted to the dark after the blinding light. He blinked, seeing that the island had been spared just in time. Groaning, he jumped down to where Rogue hung slack by the chains on her wrists. Now, his heart began to hammer in his chest. He cut through the chains and slipped a hand around her back, carefully. He hadn't touched her since he'd healed her. It'd felt like so long, she looked like a different person. Like a fairy tale, draped in green cloaks.

He moved her hood down and listened closely to her chest. Shaking, he pulled one of his gloves off. "No," He began. "We do didn't do all this for..." Almost as though he were scared, scared to know the truth, he placed a tentative hand on her forehead. It was what he was afraid of. Nothing. _'No...'_ He pressed harder, his fingers indenting her flesh. She was still, cool from the night air. "No, Rogue._ Don't do this..."_

They had saved the world, but they were too late for her. _"We can't lose you too..."_ He dropped his forehead to her, tears streaming onto her face. _"I'm sorry..._" It was all he could say. He had promised to never let anything happen to her, and he'd failed. He thought he imagined the familiar, prickly sensation of her mutation. Her touch._ 'She's...'_ He gasped, wounds that Sabretooth had given him briefly resurfacing as she stole his healing factor.

Rogue awoke with a gasp, then a scream as Logan plummeted to the ground. Unconscious. Her head was swimming with so many feelings, memories. So much, but she was finally able to make sense of it. She knew what happened. She dropped to her knees beside Logan, peering in his face. '_He's alive, jus' hurt.'_ She thought, shivering.

"Y-You_ saved me.._." She thought, tears welling behind her eyes.

_"Chére."_ She looked up, her expression unreadable. Gambit was standing there, his trench coat flapping in the wind. He had expected to find her dead and Logan raging up there, but he was pleasantly surprised. "Y'alright-" He stopped when she popped her bone claws out and stood defensively in front of Logan. He frowned. "_Rogue?"_

_"Ah remember..."_ She growled, Logan's personality traits taking over for the time being. Remy swallowed hard, he'd been afraid of this. But he couldn't say he didn't deserve it.

"Ya remember..." He repeated dumbly. She nodded, her lip twitching. And despite wanting to gut him, she wanted to kiss him. She wanted him to tell her everything was going to be okay._ 'What are these feelings?'_ They confused her. She remembered the past month or so, that he'd stood by and let Magneto manipulate her. But she couldn't fight the warm feeling blossoming in her chest. She glared at him, undecided.

"Yes." She breathed, Logan twitching behind her as he finally began to heal. Their eyes met and fear pierced the cajun's heart. _"Everything."_

* * *

**FIN**

* * *

_A/N: Thanks to anyone who read and reviewed and just tuned in to this for me! Definitely want to start storyboarding a sequel about the fall out of Rogue's conflicting feelings and memories and maybe even a choice between the two. :P See you guys on the other side. _


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